IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/jsd123/v8y2015i9p190.html

Does GRI Reporting Impact Environmental Sustainability? An Industry-Specific Analysis of CO2 Emissions Performance between Reporting and Non-Reporting Companies

Author

Listed:
  • Sneha Bernard
  • Samih Abdelgadir
  • Lotfi Belkhir

Abstract

The stated goal of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reporting framework is two-fold- to make it easier for organizations to communicate their sustainability performance to stakeholders, and to drive companies to become more sustainable. Our aim in this paper is to assess if GRI-reporting has any direct and positive impact on sustainability performance, and more specifically on CO2 emissions of the reporting companies. This study is the first that attempts to answer this question in a quantitative and systematic manner. We analyze the CO2 emissions data from 40 A-level GRI-reporting companies, over a period of six years and across five industry sectors, comparing them with a control group of 24 non-reporting companies, to assess any direct impact of reporting on emissions. We perform an industry-specific analysis of the CO2 emissions of both reporting and non-reporting companies for each industry sector. We find that amongst all reporting companies and industries, only the Utilities industry exhibits a dramatic decrease in emission intensity between 2007-2012, while the others show only minimal reductions, while the overall absolute emissions levels have grown significantly for both sets of companies. On the more qualitative side, we also note, based on our own experience in undertaking this study, that the GRI reports are not conducive to providing stakeholders with a coherent, user-friendly or transparent structure of a company’s sustainability performance in general, or improvement thereof, concluding that neither of the GRI stated goals are currently attained. Finally, we provide constructive recommendations on how the GRI reporting process could better achieve its stated purpose. Academics, investors and analysts alike might find the review, the analysis as well as the recommendations of this paper useful, as they directly address the core objectives of the GRI reporting process and how it could be improved to have the desirable impact.

Suggested Citation

  • Sneha Bernard & Samih Abdelgadir & Lotfi Belkhir, 2015. "Does GRI Reporting Impact Environmental Sustainability? An Industry-Specific Analysis of CO2 Emissions Performance between Reporting and Non-Reporting Companies," Journal of Sustainable Development, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(9), pages 190-190, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibn:jsd123:v:8:y:2015:i:9:p:190
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jsd/article/download/50742/29529
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jsd/article/view/50742
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Adams, Carol A. & Frost, Geoffrey R., 2008. "Integrating sustainability reporting into management practices," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 288-302.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xu, Mingze & Wong, Christina WY. & Wong, Chee Yew & Boon-itt, Sakun, 2025. "The impact of sustainability reporting on manufacturer market and operations performance: Five long-term event studies from signaling and stakeholder perspectives," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    2. Jose Luis Soriano Sandoval & Karla Maria Alarcon Sanchez, 2022. "Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives with a strategic approach to eradicate the phenomenon of Greenwashing," Scientia et PRAXIS, AMIDI Editorial, vol. 2(4), pages 1-17, July-Dece.
    3. José Traub & Carlos Morillas & Rodrigo Gil & Sergio Álvarez & Sara Martínez, 2025. "Evaluating Corporate Carbon Emissions Reporting: Assessing Transparency and Completeness with the Carbon Integrity Index," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-23, August.
    4. Tian, Jingyuan & Jia, Fu & Chen, Lujie & Xing, Xinjie, 2025. "The Impact of ISSB’s Scope 3 GHG Emissions Validation on US Manufacturers’ Stock Valuations: Analyzing the Role of Supplier Complexity," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alpana Taneja & Vinay Goyal & Kunjana Malik, 2023. "Sustainability‐oriented innovations – Enhancing factors and consequences," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 2747-2765, November.
    2. Matthew Egan, 2018. "Utilising Accounting and Accountants in the Management of Water Efficiency," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 28(3), pages 356-373, September.
    3. Florentina Moisescu, 2025. "Sustainability and Financial Performance: Exploring the Interconnections Through the Accounting Perspective in Romania," Economics and Applied Informatics, "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, issue 2, pages 250-257.
    4. Fiaz Ahmad Sulehri & Saba Sharif, 2022. "The Impact of Firm Sustainability on Firm Growth: Evidence from USA," Journal of Policy Research (JPR), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 8(2), pages 1-15, August.
    5. Haitham Nobanee & Maryam Alhajjar & Ghada Abushairah & Safaa Al Harbi, 2021. "Reputational Risk and Sustainability: A Bibliometric Analysis of Relevant Literature," Risks, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-21, July.
    6. Miralles Quirós, María Mar & Miralles Quirós, José Luis & Daza Izquierdo, Julio, 2021. "The assurance of sustainability reports and their impact on stock market prices," Cuadernos de Gestión, Universidad del País Vasco - Instituto de Economía Aplicada a la Empresa (IEAE).
    7. Athanasios Mandilas & Dimitrios Kourtidis & Giannoula Florou & Stavros Valsamidis, 2023. "A Framework for Sustainability Reporting of Renewable Energy Companies in Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-33, September.
    8. Catherine Le Roux & Marius Pretorius, 2016. "Conceptualizing the Limiting Issues Inhibiting Sustainability Embeddedness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-22, April.
    9. María Jesús Muñoz-Torres & María Ángeles Fernández-Izquierdo & Juana María Rivera-Lirio & Idoya Ferrero-Ferrero & Elena Escrig-Olmedo, 2021. "Sustainable supply chain management in a global context: a consistency analysis in the textile industry between environmental management practices at company level and sectoral and global environmental challenges," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 3883-3916, March.
    10. Kishore Kumar & Ajai Prakash, 2020. "Managing sustainability in banking: extent of sustainable banking adaptations of banking sector in India," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 5199-5217, August.
    11. repec:eme:srjpps:v:6:y:2010:i:2:p:438-471 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Anca Băndoi & Claudiu George Bocean & Mara Del Baldo & Lucian Mandache & Leonardo Geo Mănescu & Cătălina Soriana Sitnikov, 2021. "Including Sustainable Reporting Practices in Corporate Management Reports: Assessing the Impact of Transparency on Economic Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-20, January.
    13. Domenico Raucci & Lara Tarquinio, 2020. "Sustainability Performance Indicators and Non-Financial Information Reporting. Evidence from the Italian Case," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, February.
    14. repec:ami:journl:v:24:y:2024:i:3:p:509-529 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Natalia Semenova, 2021. "Management control systems in response to social and environmental risk in large Nordic companies," International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-11, December.
    16. Nurisyal Muhamad & Sofiah Md Auzair & Amizawati Mohd Amir & Md Daud Ismail, 2016. "Measuring Sustainability Performance Measurement System," EuroEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 3(12), pages 182-199, JUNE.
    17. Matthew Egan, 2015. "Driving Water Management Change Where Economic Incentive is Limited," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 73-90, November.
    18. Jomo Sankara & Madeline Trimble, 2025. "Prevalence of Sustainability Metrics within Executive Compensation Schemes in Large US Companies," Journal of Management and Sustainability, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 15(1), pages 116-116, June.
    19. Waris Ali & Zeeshan Mahmood & Jeffrey Wilson & Hina Ismail, 2024. "The impact of sustainability governance attributes on comprehensive CSR reporting: A developing country setting," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 1802-1817, May.
    20. Andreea Dinu, 2025. "Sustainability Reporting and Corporate Governance in The European Energy Sector," Accounting and Management Information Systems, Faculty of Accounting and Management Information Systems, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 24(3), pages 509-529, September.
    21. Patrícia Quesado & Rui Silva & Helena Costa Oliveira, 2024. "Management Control Systems and Sustainability: A Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-19, June.
    22. Salvatore Loprevite & Domenico Raucci & Daniela Rupo, 2020. "KPIs Reporting and Financial Performance in the Transition to Mandatory Disclosure: The Case of Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-24, June.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ibn:jsd123:v:8:y:2015:i:9:p:190. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Canadian Center of Science and Education (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.