Sustainability Reporting and Corporate Governance in The European Energy Sector

Research Questions- How do selected companies present their materiality assessment policies in their annual reports? What are the selected company’s due diligence processes? How do selected companies engage with their stakeholders? Do the selected companies have sustainability committees? Is there a designated person responsible for sustainability? How are the sustainability risks managed by the governance structure? Motivation- With the increasing global emphasis on environmental responsibility and the impact of corporate actions on society, this study is motivated by the need to assess the commitment of the energy sector to transparency and governance, particularly in light of new EU directives. Idea- This paper examines the adherence of European energy firms to sustainability reporting norms and governance practices. It evaluates the integration of sustainability into corporate strategies, risk management, and stakeholder engagement within the sector. Data- The study utilizes a narrative review of sustainability reports and governance documents from the top six European energy companies with the highest ESG ratings according to Refinitiv database. Tools- A qualitative assessment of the content of the sustainability reports and governance documents was conducted. Findings- The results reveal a pervasive commitment to sustainability criteria among the examined energy firms. All selected companies demonstrated comprehensive adherence to sustainability practices, indicating full compliance with the criteria. The findings suggest a strategic alignment with sustainability imperatives and robust integration of sustainability reporting and corporate governance into operational frameworks. Contribution- This study contributes to the existing literature on sustainability and integrated reporting by providing a comprehensive analysis of how European energy firms comply with sustainability reporting regulations and integrate these practices into their corporate governance frameworks. The current research is not without limitations; however, it may offer perspectives for future studies. The paper exposes the need for further research in the field, focusing on the sustainability reporting and corporate governance within the European energy sector.