Aug 2026· Frontiers in Sustainability· Vol 7· 0 citations· 41 references
Abstract
The growing emphasis on sustainability reporting indicates a move toward holistic and standardized disclosure frameworks due to regulatory modifications and stakeholder demand. Despite these trends, evidence-based research remains limited to sector-specific compliance in resource-intensive sectors where the social aspect is far more crucial, such as infrastructure. To bridge this gap, this study compares the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) standards, with a particular emphasis on social disclosures. Also, the study uses a content analysis with a Social Coverage Index (SCI) approach to examine the magnitude, reliability, and frequency of social performance disclosures under the BRSR reports for entities in the infrastructure industry (
n
= 5) in financial year (FY) 2024–2025. Study outcomes demonstrate relatively consistent and structured reporting by entities for self-reflective disclosures, namely employee wellbeing, labor practices, and health and safety. In contrast, outwardly directed disclosures demonstrate variation and partial convergence by entities reflecting differences in corporate priorities, reporting competency, and engagement. Observations confirm that, while some entities adopt a detailed and systematic reporting approach supported by third-party assurance, others choose to publish selective or limited disclosures for optional variables, causing moderate SCI ranging from 0.36 to 0.58. These findings could help policymakers and practitioners develop reliable and uniform reporting frameworks by integrating global sustainability standards for ethical business practices in emerging economies.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting has moved from voluntary communication to regulated corporate accountability, yet the quality of adoption varies sharply. Many organisations, particularly in emerging economies, produce disclosures that satisfy formal requirements without altering strategy, governance or resource allocation, a pattern described as symbolic reporting. This concept paper asks how organisations with mature ESG practice couple reporting to management, and what that implies for firms entering mandatory regimes such as Malaysia's National Sustainability Reporting Framework. Guided by stakeholder, legitimacy and institutional theory, the study adopts a qualitative multiple-case design based on documentary analysis of Ørsted (Denmark), Microsoft (United States), Unilever (United Kingdom) and SD Guthrie, formerly Sime Darby Plantation (Malaysia), compared across seven dimensions spanning strategy, reporting design, environmental and social practice, governance, challenges and impact. The comparison yields a framework in which five integration mechanisms, namely board ownership, materiality discipline, target architecture, internal economic linkage and verification, determine whether disclosure becomes consequential or remains ceremonial. The Malaysian case is analytically distinctive because a foreign enforcement agency adjudicated both the initial failure and its remediation, supplying external verification that voluntary disclosure settings rarely provide. The paper contributes a mechanism-level account of when ESG reporting produces accountability, with guidance for boards, preparers and regulators moving to ISSB-aligned reporting.
Z. Sanusi, Nur Aima Shafie, A. Ghazali et al.· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Developments in sustainability issues are prompting companies to integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects into their accounting and reporting practices as a means of enhancing transparency, accountability, and responsibility towards stakeholders. This study aims to analyse developments in ESG disclosure within corporate accounting and reporting practices using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach. The study employs a qualitative method, examining academic articles sourced from the Google Scholar database. Literature selection was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, followed by content analysis and validation through source triangulation. Research findings indicate that ESG disclosure has driven a shift in accounting practices from a shareholder-centric to a stakeholder-centric approach, improved the quality of reporting through transparency, credibility and the relevance of information, and strengthened the confidence of investors and stakeholders. On the other hand, the implementation of ESG still faces challenges in the form of regulatory fragmentation, differences in reporting standards, limitations in human resource capabilities, and technological readiness. Therefore, regulatory harmonisation, the strengthening of ESG reporting standards, and the enhancement of human resource capacity and the utilisation of digital technology are required to support a more effective and sustainable implementation of ESG.
Marisa Christy Neno, Maria Regina Sofie Daneswari· Ilmu Ekonomi Manajemen dan A...· 0 citations
This study seeks to compare the transparency, consistency, and comprehensiveness of various
sustainability reports prepared by international organizations that have adopted the Global
Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards with those that disclose their financial statements using
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The quantitative analysis is based on
disclosure indicators, materiality, and the combination of economic and non-financial
information. The sample is based on 60 companies listed on the New York, London, and
Frankfurt stock exchanges, distributed between GRI adopters and non-adopters. The results
show that companies that follow the GRI guidelines demonstrate greater coverage and
standardization in the disclosure of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information
and in financial and non-financial performance in line with GRI guidelines. Conversely,
disclosure solely using IFRS is associated with stronger financial consistency but relatively
less correlation with sustainability variables for companies. The review indicates that the
application of GRI standards serves as a means of improving the integrity and comparability
of socio-environmental reports. It reinforces the importance of convergence between financial
and non-financial statements worldwide, particularly in the context of the international
business environment and its emphasis on sustainable companies.
S. Teixeira· Journal of Accounting and Fi...· 0 citations
As Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices become increasingly important in evaluating corporate sustainability, differences in disclosure approaches have led to significant variations in ESG reporting quality and comparability. This study examines the ESG disclosure quality of BYD and Tesla between 2022 and 2024. A unified evaluation framework covering content completeness, data continuity, and visualization effectiveness is developed to compare the two companies. The findings show that BYD follows a standards-oriented disclosure approach characterized by increasing alignment with international ESG frameworks and stronger institutionalization. In contrast, Tesla adopts a strategy-oriented approach that emphasizes product impact and technological innovation. The study concludes that companies should balance standardized disclosure with strategic communication to improve transparency and reporting quality.
Haorong Han· Advances in Economics, Manag...· 0 citations
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics are increasingly used to assess corporate sustainability performance, yet their reliance on public disclosure raises questions about whether they capture actual organizational implementation. This study examines the alignment between externally reported ESG–Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) performance and internal perceptions in Kazakhstan, an emerging market characterized by uneven disclosure norms, institutional enforcement, and sectoral exposure. The analysis combines disclosure-based ESGQ scores with original survey data; matched comparisons between the two resulted in 52 responses from 25 firms. Using linear mixed models and principal component analysis, the study identifies a systematic disclosure–perception gap, in which internal perceptions exceed external disclosure-based scores in the governance and SDG dimensions, where standards are least codified and hardest to verify. Additionally, industry membership is more consistently associated with this disclosure–perception gap than ownership structure or firm size. The findings suggest that ESG measurement gaps in emerging markets are not reducible to greenwashing; instead, disclosure-based evaluation systems may under-represent practices that organizational insiders perceive as embedded, although positive response bias among respondents cannot be ruled out. The results support the idea that future research should complement disclosure-based ESG assessment with internal organizational evidence.
J. Neafie, Amina Sagymbayeva, Kanat Kenzhetayev et al.· Sustainability· 0 citations
: Global sustainability governance is deepening, and the EU CSRD regulations have now entered into force. Against this backdrop, ESG disclosure carries more weight than ever in gauging how firms perform on sustainability. Luxury houses face a singular set of ESG pressures: their supply chains move high-value goods, production is resource-heavy, and brand reputation hangs on every disclosure decision. We take Kering Group as our case. Legitimacy theory and stakeholder theory anchor the analysis. An index method is used to build an ESG disclosure scoring system—48 indicators in total, spread across environmental, social and governance pillars. That system is then applied to Kering's disclosures between 2021 and 2024. Scores rose steadily across the four years. Kering's EP&L reporting and its SBTi/SBTN verification stand out as benchmarks for the sector. That said, quantitative disclosure on social metrics still lags. We close by offering practical recommendations for ESG disclosure that luxury firms more broadly might adopt.
Kefan Yu· Academic Journal of Humaniti...· 0 citations