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Does the global reporting initiative influence sustainability disclosures in Asia-Pacific banks?

Version 2 2024-06-06, 08:38
Version 1 2016-05-23, 11:36
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-06, 08:38 authored by MA Islam, Ameeta JainAmeeta Jain, D Thomson
This article examines sustainability disclosures by the major banks in the Asia-Pacific region (the six largest banks from each of four countries: Australia, Japan, China and India) during the period 2005–2012. The findings show sustainability disclosures by banks that participate in the global reporting initiative (GRI) are significantly higher than disclosures by those banks that have not participated in the GRI. Amongst those banks that have participated in the GRI there is a higher rate of disclosure by externally assured banks than by non-externally assured banks. Among the GRI participating banks, there was significant variation of disclosures between countries. Disclosures by Australian banks appeared to be significantly higher than disclosures by banks in any other countries under observation. The findings are discussed from a moral legitimacy perspective. Consistent with this view, the banks under study were responsive to the GRI, which is seen as an influential actor that shapes and reflects the expectations of the broader community. However, the role of the GRI in minimising country differences in disclosure by banks is not significant.

History

Journal

Australasian journal of environmental management

Volume

23

Pagination

298-313

Location

Abingdon, Eng.

ISSN

1448-6563

eISSN

2159-5356

Language

eng

Publication classification

C Journal article, C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2016, Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand

Issue

3

Publisher

Taylor & Francis