Sustainability Reporting in Romania: Is Sustainability Reporting Enough?

The study of sustainability reporting (SR) patterns in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries represents a vital element in understanding the evolution of management in the respective region and, possibly, in other regions. As expected, the results presented in this book show significant discrepancies among CEE countries. While trying to understand and address these discrepancies, factors such as culture, economic and social development, and the legacy of communism should be considered. Sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are intensively studied, debated, and transformed into normative practices, especially in the Western economies. The intense debate regarding global warming and its impact on nature and human society has amplified interest in the topics of sustainability and corporate responsibility. Society, academia, corporations, and policy makers are all concerned about the impact of deteriorating ecologies. On the other hand, sustainability and CSR are both disputed and criticized concepts. From the neoliberal side of the spectrum to critical realism, Marxist left, and green activism, both concepts are the subject of intense criticism. Any attempt to understand sustainability reporting and corporate sustainability practices must also consider the critical perspectives concerning these concepts. Therefore, the objective of this chapter is to present briefly these perspectives and to offer an alternate understanding of this study’s results. The results and the specific context of Romania offered the opportunity for a more balanced perspective on the concept of sustainability and the practice of sustainability reporting.