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Overcoming current practical challenges in sustainability and integrated reporting: insights from a Swiss field study
[Die Bewältigung der aktuellen praktischen Herausforderungen in der Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung und der integrierten Berichterstattung: Einsichten einer Schweizer Studie]

Author

Listed:
  • Fridolin Simon Brand

    (ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences)

  • Verena Berger

    (ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Grüental)

  • Katharina Hetze

    (ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences)

  • Jörg E. U. Schmidt

    (ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences)

  • Marie-Christin Weber

    (ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences)

  • Herbert Winistörfer

    (ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences)

  • Claus-Heinrich Daub

    (FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland)

Abstract

A growing number of companies worldwide face practical challenges in their sustainability and integrated reporting. This is mainly due to two reasons. First, new voluntary reporting guidelines have been published, such as the Sustainability Reporting Standards of the Global Reporting Initiative, the guideline for integrated reporting by the International Integrated Reporting Council and the sector standards of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board. Second, new binding reporting regulations have been adopted, such as Directive 2014/95/EU on non-financial reporting issued by the European Commission. This article analyzes current practical challenges in sustainability and integrated reporting and suggests tools to overcome them, based on desktop research, an experience-based consultancy view, and two case studies, from banking and tourism, respectively. The article is the result of a two-year research project funded by Innosuisse, the Swiss Innovation Agency. Reporting involves several major practical challenges: (i) identifying the issues with the greatest sustainability impact along the value chain, (ii) prioritizing sustainability topics in accordance with both the Global Reporting Initiative and the International Integrated Reporting Council, (iii) clarifying the sustainability context of corporate activities, and (iv) developing reports that can influence the decisions of key target groups with regard to purchasing and investments, for instance. Based on its analysis, the article makes several recommendations for the enhancement of sustainability reporting, including an analysis grid to identify sustainability issues along the value chain, a multicriteria analysis tool for the materiality criteria of the Global Reporting Initiative and International Integrated Reporting Council, and tools for target group-specific reporting. Case studies provide indicative evidence that the developed tools can help companies to enhance their sustainability reporting.

Suggested Citation

  • Fridolin Simon Brand & Verena Berger & Katharina Hetze & Jörg E. U. Schmidt & Marie-Christin Weber & Herbert Winistörfer & Claus-Heinrich Daub, 2018. "Overcoming current practical challenges in sustainability and integrated reporting: insights from a Swiss field study [Die Bewältigung der aktuellen praktischen Herausforderungen in der Nachhaltigk," NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 35-46, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sumafo:v:26:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1007_s00550-018-0474-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s00550-018-0474-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. María del Mar Alonso‐Almeida & Josep Llach & Frederic Marimon, 2014. "A Closer Look at the ‘Global Reporting Initiative’ Sustainability Reporting as a Tool to Implement Environmental and Social Policies: A Worldwide Sector Analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(6), pages 318-335, November.
    2. Robert G. Eccles & Michael P. Krzus & Jean Rogers & George Serafeim, 2012. "The Need for Sector-Specific Materiality and Sustainability Reporting Standards," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 24(2), pages 65-71, June.
    3. Davide Giacomini & Laura Rocca & Cristian Carini & Mario Mazzoleni, 2018. "Overcoming the Barriers to the Diffusion of Sustainability Reporting in Italian LGOs: Better Stick or Carrot?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, January.
    4. Igor Álvarez Etxeberria & Eduardo Ortas & Stefan Schaltegger & Stefan Schaltegger & Igor Álvarez Etxeberria & Eduardo Ortas, 2017. "Innovating Corporate Accounting and Reporting for Sustainability – Attributes and Challenges," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(2), pages 113-122, March.
    5. John Dumay & Cristiana Bernardi & James Guthrie & Paola Demartini, 2016. "Integrated reporting: A structured literature review," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(3), pages 166-185, September.
    6. Nadine Székely & Jan vom Brocke, 2017. "What can we learn from corporate sustainability reporting? Deriving propositions for research and practice from over 9,500 corporate sustainability reports published between 1999 and 2015 using topic ," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(4), pages 1-27, April.
    7. Vera Stelkens & Patrick Ilg & Alexander Stehle, 2017. "Interdisziplinäre Steuerung der Nachhaltigkeit am Beispiel des Integrated Reportings [Integrated Reporting as a model case of an interdisciplinary sustainability control approach]," NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 229-234, November.
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