IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/buseth/v30y2021i3p378-391.html

How do standard setters define materiality and why does it matter?

Author

Listed:
  • Cynthia E. Clark

Abstract

Material information is a core aspect of a firm's governance and reporting activities. If corporate information is material, then the firm has a responsibility to disclose it. Currently, firms must judge information as material largely based on a confusing set of standard setters’ definitions. I analyze the particular conditions laid out by each standard setter and explain the ethical implications that result from materiality judgments made by firms using these varied standards. Importantly, this analysis underscores that regulators, firms, and researchers alike must consider the impact of these implications on the fiduciary duty and promise‐keeping that firms make as well as the potential for unfairness and financial harm to others’ welfare that could result.

Suggested Citation

  • Cynthia E. Clark, 2021. "How do standard setters define materiality and why does it matter?," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(3), pages 378-391, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:buseth:v:30:y:2021:i:3:p:378-391
    DOI: 10.1111/beer.12351
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12351
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/beer.12351?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. R.H. Parker, 1994. "Finding English Words to Talk about Accounting Concepts," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 7(2), pages 70-85, June.
    2. Clark Williams, Cynthia & Verstegen Ryan, Lori, 2007. "Courting Shareholders: The Ethical Implications of Altering Corporate Ownership Structures," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(4), pages 669-688, October.
    3. Christopher Marquis & Michael W. Toffel & Yanhua Zhou, 2016. "Scrutiny, Norms, and Selective Disclosure: A Global Study of Greenwashing," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(2), pages 483-504, April.
    4. Olivier Boiral, 2013. "Sustainability reports as simulacra? A counter-account of A and A+ GRI reports," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 26(7), pages 1036-1071, September.
    5. Aburous, Dina, 2019. "IFRS and institutional work in the accounting domain," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1-15.
    6. Olivier Boiral, 2013. "Sustainability reports as simulacra? A counter-account of A and A+ GRI reports," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 26(7), pages 1036-1071, September.
    7. repec:eme:aaaj00:09513579410058193 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Perryman, Alexa A. & Butler, Frank C. & Martin, John A. & Ferris, Gerald R., 2010. "When the CEO is ill: Keeping quiet or going public?," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 21-29, January.
    9. Fama, Eugene F & Jensen, Michael C, 1983. "Separation of Ownership and Control," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(2), pages 301-325, June.
    10. Edgley, Carla, 2014. "A genealogy of accounting materiality," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 255-271.
    11. Carpenter, Brian W. & Dirsmith, Mark W. & Gupta, Parveen P., 1994. "Materiality judgments and audit firm culture: Social-behavioral and political perspectives," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 19(4-5), pages 355-380.
    12. Marcoux, Alexei M., 2003. "A Fiduciary Argument Against Stakeholder Theory," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(1), pages 1-24, January.
    13. repec:eme:aaaj00:aaaj-04-2012-00998 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Al-Tuwaijri, Sulaiman A. & Christensen, Theodore E. & Hughes, K. II, 2004. "The relations among environmental disclosure, environmental performance, and economic performance: a simultaneous equations approach," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 29(5-6), pages 447-471.
    15. Christian Leuz & Peter D. Wysocki, 2016. "The Economics of Disclosure and Financial Reporting Regulation: Evidence and Suggestions for Future Research," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 54(2), pages 525-622, May.
    16. Verrecchia, Robert E., 1983. "Discretionary disclosure," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 179-194, April.
    17. Hodge, Frank & Hopkins, Patrick E. & Pratt, Jamie, 2006. "Management reporting incentives and classification credibility: The effects of reporting discretion and reputation," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 31(7), pages 623-634, October.
    18. Edgley, Carla & Jones, Michael J. & Atkins, Jill, 2015. "The adoption of the materiality concept in social and environmental reporting assurance: A field study approach," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 1-18.
    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. Nuria Padilla‐Garrido & Francisco Aguado‐Correa & Inmaculada Rabadán‐Martín & José María López‐Jiménez & Juan José de la Vega‐Jiménez & Ignacio Peletier‐Ribera, 2024. "Materiality analysis in sustainability reporting: Insights from large Spanish companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(6), pages 5391-5412, November.
    2. Tamara Menichini & Gennaro Salierno & Nicoletta Maria Strollo, 2026. "Exploring the role of materiality analysis in corporate decision-making for SDG prioritization: A systematic literature review," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 1-30, June.
    3. Emmanuelle Flores & Véronique Blum, 2024. "The decoupling of extra-financial materiality assessment practices : Study of cooperative and shareholder banks," Post-Print hal-05531554, HAL.

    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. Kazi Abul Bashar Muhammad Afzal Hossain & Mahmoud Elmarzouky & George Giannopoulos, 2026. "Environmental Performance Drivers: A Political Cost Approach," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 4102-4147, March.
    2. 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.
    3. Albrecht, Disen Huang & Anantharaman, Divya & Zhao, Keyi, 2025. "Is a picture worth a thousand words? Image usage in ESG reports," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    4. Marco Fasan & Chiara Mio, 2017. "Fostering Stakeholder Engagement: The Role of Materiality Disclosure in Integrated Reporting," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 288-305, March.
    5. Nuria Padilla‐Garrido & Francisco Aguado‐Correa & Inmaculada Rabadán‐Martín & José María López‐Jiménez & Juan José de la Vega‐Jiménez & Ignacio Peletier‐Ribera, 2024. "Materiality analysis in sustainability reporting: Insights from large Spanish companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(6), pages 5391-5412, November.
    6. Rezaee, Zabihollah, 2016. "Business sustainability research: A theoretical and integrated perspective," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 48-64.
    7. Philipp Borgstedt & Ann-Marie Nienaber & Bernd Liesenkötter & Gerhard Schewe, 2019. "Legitimacy Strategies in Corporate Environmental Reporting: A Longitudinal Analysis of German DAX Companies’ Disclosed Objectives," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 177-200, August.
    8. Huang, June & Lu, Shirley, 2025. "Gender diversity performance and voluntary disclosure: Mind the (gender pay) gap," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    9. Zhang, Linhan & Tang, Qingliang & Huang, Robin Hui, 2021. "Mind the Gap: Is Water Disclosure a Missing Component of Corporate Social Responsibility?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(1).
    10. F. Cappellieri & R. Vinciguerra & A. Ricciardi & M. Pizzo, 2025. "Independent minority directors against self-serving and manipulative practices in non- financial reporting," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 29(2), pages 453-501, June.
    11. Rudra P. Pradhan & S. M. R. K. Samarakoon & Rana P. Maradana & Premjit Sahoo, 2025. "Climate change disclosure and firm value in a frontier market: Exploring the determinants," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(2), pages 1931-1964, May.
    12. Tesfaye T. Lemma & Martin Feedman & Mthokozisi Mlilo & Jin Dong Park, 2019. "Corporate carbon risk, voluntary disclosure, and cost of capital: South African evidence," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 111-126, January.
    13. Isabel‐María García‐Sánchez & Jennifer Martínez‐Ferrero, 2018. "How do Independent Directors Behave with Respect to Sustainability Disclosure?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(4), pages 609-627, July.
    14. Ahmad Hambali & Desi Adhariani, 2024. "Corporate biodiversity disclosure: The role of institutional factors and corporate governance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(6), pages 5260-5274, November.
    15. Jannik Gerwanski & Othar Kordsachia & Patrick Velte, 2019. "Determinants of materiality disclosure quality in integrated reporting: Empirical evidence from an international setting," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 750-770, July.
    16. Edgley, Carla & Holland, Kevin, 2021. "“Unknown unknowns” and the tax knowledge gap: Power and the materiality of discretionary tax disclosures," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    17. My Hanh Doan & Remmer Sassen, 2020. "The relationship between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: A meta‐analysis," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(5), pages 1140-1157, October.
    18. Bart Manning & Geert Braam & Daniel Reimsbach, 2019. "Corporate governance and sustainable business conduct—Effects of board monitoring effectiveness and stakeholder engagement on corporate sustainability performance and disclosure choices," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(2), pages 351-366, March.
    19. van Oorschot, Kim E. & Aas Johansen, Vilde & Lynes Thorup, Nanna & Aspen, Dina Margrethe, 2024. "Standardization cycles in sustainability reporting within the Global Reporting Initiative," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 492-502.
    20. Nadia Gulko & Catriona Hyde, 2022. "Corporate perspectives on CSR disclosure: audience, materiality, motivations," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(4), pages 389-412, December.

    More about this item

    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:wly:buseth:v:30:y:2021:i:3:p:378-391. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/26946424 .

    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.