Commitment to CSR measured through GRI reporting: Factors affecting the behavior of companies

• In Event: Public Interest 3

Abstract

The increasing importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to entrepreneurial policies has made it a leading topic in the literature. The strategic integration of CSR in the business core results from communication between a company and its stakeholders. Sustainability reports (SR) are recognized worldwide as a tool that companies use to communicate their socially responsible behavior. The way companies communicate through their reports indicates their level of commitment to CSR. The objective of this paper is to analyze companies’ behavior towards CSR based on their disclosure practices. We define four possible types of behavior: Novice, Cautious, Chattering and Leading. These types are the result of the combination of two variables that measure the Disclosure and Credibility of CSR information. Our results indicate that companies listed in the stock market disclose more CSR information than private ones but with less credibility. European countries are leading the rankings in CSR information and tend to have a Cautious or Leading attitude. Finally, we report differences among industries.
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Authors

• Silvia Romero, Montclair State University

• Belen Fernandez-Feijoo, Universidade de Vigo

• Silvia Ruiz, Universidade de Vigo