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Hadfields Ltd: its annual general meetings 1903–1939 and their relevance for contemporary corporate social reporting

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  • Maltby, Josephine

Abstract

Little attention has been given to studies of the historical antecedents of corporate social reporting (CSR). The paper looks at the disclosures made by Hadfields Ltd and other British companies at the beginning of the 20th century, and finds that these included topics such as economic, political and industrial relations conditions, in a style analogous to that employed in CSR reporting today, during periods of difficulty and conflict for the reporting companies. The paper concludes that these findings support the argument that CSR may be less a reflection of a new relationship between companies and society than another form of what Milne calls ‘advocacy advertising’.

Suggested Citation

  • Maltby, Josephine, 2004. "Hadfields Ltd: its annual general meetings 1903–1939 and their relevance for contemporary corporate social reporting," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 415-439.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:bracre:v:36:y:2004:i:4:p:415-439
    DOI: 10.1016/j.bar.2004.07.016
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Crawford Spence, 2009. "Social and environmental reporting and the corporate ego," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(4), pages 254-265, May.
    6. Maltby, Josephine & Tsamenyi, Mathew, 2010. "Narrative accounting disclosure: Its role in the gold mining industry on the Gold Coast 1900–1949," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 390-401.
    7. Spence, Crawford & Husillos, Javier & Correa-Ruiz, Carmen, 2010. "Cargo cult science and the death of politics: A critical review of social and environmental accounting research," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 76-89.

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