Demand for, and impediments to, the disclosure of information about climate change-related corporate governance practices. Issue 6 (18th September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Haque, Shamima; Deegan, Craig; Inglis, Robert
• Is Part Of: Accounting and business research. Volume 46:Issue 6(2016)
• Page Start: 620
• Page End: 664
• Publication Date: 2016-09-18
• Subjects: climate change -- corporate governance -- climate change-related disclosure -- stakeholders -- stakeholder engagement -- expectations gap -- accountability; Accounting -- Periodicals; Accounting -- Research -- Periodicals; Business -- Periodicals; Comptabilité -- Périodiques; Comptabilité -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Affaires -- Périodiques; Accounting; Electronic journals; 658.15
• DOI: 10.1080/00014788.2015.1133276
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-4788

Abstract

Abstract : Based on a survey of climate change experts in different stakeholder groups and interviews with corporate climate change managers, this study provides insights into the gap between what information stakeholders expect, and what Australian corporations disclose. This paper focuses on annual reports and sustainability reports with specific reference to the disclosure of climate change-related corporate governance practices. The findings culminate in the refinement of a best practice index for the disclosure of climate change-related corporate governance practises. Interview results indicate that the low levels of disclosures made by Australian companies may be due to a number of factors. A lack of proactive stakeholder engagement and an apparent preoccupation with financial performance and advancing shareholders interest, coupled with a failure by managers to accept accountability, seems to go a long way to explaining low levels of disclosure.