IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jenvss/v11y2021i4d10.1007_s13412-020-00643-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Website disclosure of environmental compliance management—the case of European production companies

Author

Listed:
  • Heiko Thimm

    (Pforzheim University)

  • Karsten Boye Rasmussen

    (University of Southern Denmark)

Abstract

Companies are expected to comply with environmental laws and regulations. They also face increasing stakeholder interest in information about environmental compliance management efforts. Corporate websites serve today’s enterprises as an important medium for voluntary environmental disclosure. However, relatively little research has addressed the topic of environmental compliance management. This empirical study explores current practices of website disclosure of environmental compliance management. Data were collected through a randomly selected sample of 154 European production companies in two groups of medium-sized and very large companies. Environmental management issues concerning the functionalities and disclosure subjects observed on the company websites were recorded. The analyses revealed that in general, corporate websites contain little information about environmental management and environmental compliance management, and large companies disclose more than small companies. The results also indicate that the disclosure practices of some countries deviate remarkably from those of other countries in the sample.

Suggested Citation

  • Heiko Thimm & Karsten Boye Rasmussen, 2021. "Website disclosure of environmental compliance management—the case of European production companies," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(4), pages 648-670, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:11:y:2021:i:4:d:10.1007_s13412-020-00643-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s13412-020-00643-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13412-020-00643-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13412-020-00643-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Siano, Alfonso & Vollero, Agostino & Conte, Francesca & Amabile, Sara, 2017. "“More than words”: Expanding the taxonomy of greenwashing after the Volkswagen scandal," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 27-37.
    2. Sylvie Berthelot & Michel Coulmont & Kim Thibault, 2013. "Sustainability Content on Oil and Gas Company Websites," Business and Management Research, Business and Management Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 2(1), pages 94-103, March.
    3. Heiko Thimm & Karsten Boye Rasmussen & Wolfgang Gohout, 2016. "Website quality and performance indicators including ratio numbers – A study of German and Danish SME companies," Journal of Business, LAR Center Press, vol. 1(3), pages 22-36, July.
    4. Ingram, Rw & Frazier, Kb, 1980. "Environmental Performance And Corporate Disclosure," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(2), pages 614-622.
    5. Madan Lal Bhasin, 2012. "Corporate environmental reporting on the internet: an exploratory study," International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 4(1), pages 78-103.
    6. Trabelsi, Samir & Labelle, Réal & Dumontier, Pascal, 2008. "Incremental Voluntary Disclosure on Corporate Websites, Determinants and Consequences," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 4(2), pages 120-155.
    7. Heiko Henning Thimm & Karsten Boye Rasmussen, 2020. "Disclosure of Environmental Compliance Management on Corporate Websites: Literature Review and Future Research Foundation," International Journal of Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Corporate Social Responsibility (IJSECSR), IGI Global, vol. 5(1), pages 42-55, January.
    8. Xiangan Ding & Ying Qu & Mohsin Shahzad, 2019. "The Impact of Environmental Administrative Penalties on the Disclosure of Environmental Information," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-24, October.
    9. 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.
    10. Candy Lim Chiu & Jingxin Zhang & Mingrui Li & Siyu Wei & Shengnan Xu & Xiaotong Chai, 2020. "A study of environmental disclosures practices in Chinese energy industry," Asian Journal of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 1-21, December.
    11. Cho, Charles H. & Roberts, Robin W., 2010. "Environmental reporting on the internet by America's Toxic 100: Legitimacy and self-presentation," International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16.
    12. Anita Jose & Shang-Mei Lee, 2007. "Environmental Reporting of Global Corporations: A Content Analysis based on Website Disclosures," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 72(4), pages 307-321, June.
    13. Dinçer Atlı, 2019. "An Investigation of the Dialogical Communication Capacities of Turkish GSM Companies Websites," International Journal of Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Corporate Social Responsibility (IJSECSR), IGI Global, vol. 4(2), pages 51-59, July.
    14. Tiziana Russo-Spena & Marco Tregua & Alessandra De Chiara, 2018. "Trends and Drivers in CSR Disclosure: A Focus on Reporting Practices in the Automotive Industry," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(2), pages 563-578, August.
    15. Abeer Hassan & Colette Hunter & Ayodele Asekomeh, 2013. "GRI Application Levels and Disclosure on Specific Environmental Activities: An Empirical Investigation of Industry Membership and Geographical Region of Top European Companies," Social and Environmental Accountability Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(3), pages 156-176, December.
    16. Clarkson, Peter M. & Li, Yue & Richardson, Gordon D. & Vasvari, Florin P., 2008. "Revisiting the relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: An empirical analysis," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(4-5), pages 303-327.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Tsalis, Thomas A. & Nikolaou, Ioannis E. & Konstantakopoulou, Fotini & Zhang, Ying & Evangelinos, Konstantinos I., 2020. "Evaluating the corporate environmental profile by analyzing corporate social responsibility reports," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 63-75.
    2. Brunella Arru, 2015. "Indagine sulla comunicazione della responsabilit? sociale delle societ? quotate italiane," MERCATI & COMPETITIVIT?, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2015(4), pages 15-46.
    3. Jones, Michael John, 2011. "The nature, use and impression management of graphs in social and environmental accounting," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 75-89.
    4. Samira Demaria & Sandra Rigot, 2021. "Corporate environmental reporting: Are French firms compliant with the Task Force on Climate Financial Disclosures' recommendations?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 721-738, January.
    5. Matthias S. Fifka, 2013. "Corporate Responsibility Reporting and its Determinants in Comparative Perspective – a Review of the Empirical Literature and a Meta‐analysis," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(1), pages 1-35, January.
    6. Chang, Yingying & Du, Xingqiang & Zeng, Quan, 2021. "Does environmental information disclosure mitigate corporate risk? Evidence from China," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(1).
    7. Mitzi Cubilla‐Montilla & Ana‐Belén Nieto‐Librero & Ma Purificación Galindo‐Villardón & Ma Purificación Vicente Galindo & Isabel‐María Garcia‐Sanchez, 2019. "Are cultural values sufficient to improve stakeholder engagement human and labour rights issues?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(4), pages 938-955, July.
    8. Charles H. Cho & Jonathan Maurice & Emmanuelle Nègre & Marie-Anne Verdier, 2016. "Is environmental disclosure good for the environment? A meta-analysis and research agenda," Post-Print halshs-01369422, HAL.
    9. María Luisa Pajuelo Moreno & Teresa Duarte-Atoche, 2019. "Relationship between Sustainable Disclosure and Performance—An Extension of Ullmann’s Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-33, August.
    10. Hans B. Christensen & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz, 2021. "Mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting: economic analysis and literature review," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 1176-1248, September.
    11. Samy Garas & Osama El-Temtamy, 2020. "The “simultaneous cycle” between corporate social responsibility and firms’ financial performance," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(2), pages 39-50, September.
    12. S. Zeng & X. Xu & H. Yin & C. Tam, 2012. "Factors that Drive Chinese Listed Companies in Voluntary Disclosure of Environmental Information," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(3), pages 309-321, September.
    13. Xingqiang Du & Jianying Weng & Quan Zeng & Yingying Chang & Hongmei Pei, 2017. "Do Lenders Applaud Corporate Environmental Performance? Evidence from Chinese Private-Owned Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 143(1), pages 179-207, June.
    14. Jeanne Amar & Samira Demaria & Sandra Rigot, 2019. "What motivates CAC 40 companies to disclose information on climate-related financial risks?," Post-Print halshs-02407125, HAL.
    15. Denis Cormier & Marie-Josée Ledoux & Michel Magnan, 2010. "The Informational Contribution of Social and Environmental Disclosures for Investors," Post-Print hal-00481571, HAL.
    16. Charles H. Cho & Matias Laine & Robin W. Roberts & Michelle Rodrigue, 2018. "The Frontstage and Backstage of Corporate Sustainability Reporting: Evidence from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Bill," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(3), pages 865-886, October.
    17. Rongbing Huang & Yubo Huang, 2020. "Does Internal Control Contribute to a Firm’s Green Information Disclosure? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-23, April.
    18. Zuzana Jurská Tešovičová & Hana Krchová, 2022. "Implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility Environmental Actions in Comparison of Small, Medium, and Large Enterprises in the Slovak Republic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-21, May.
    19. Dong Ding & Bin Liu & Millicent Chang, 2023. "Carbon Emissions and TCFD Aligned Climate-Related Information Disclosures," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(4), pages 967-1001, February.
    20. Matt Wegener & Fayez A. Elayan & Sandra Felton & Jingyu Li, 2013. "Factors Influencing Corporate Environmental Disclosures," Accounting Perspectives, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(1), pages 53-73, March.

    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:spr:jenvss:v:11:y:2021:i:4:d:10.1007_s13412-020-00643-4. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.