A Study of the Environmental Disclosure Practices of Australian Corporations

TLDR

This paper analyses the environmental disclosure practices of Australian corporate entities. The paper documents three separate but related investigations. The study finds that Australian firms’ environmental disclosures are largely self‑laudatory and omit negative aspects, that disclosure volume rose steadily from 1980 to 1991, and that higher disclosure correlates with greater environmental lobby concern in specific industries.

Abstract

Abstract This paper analyses the environmental disclosure practices of Australian corporate entities. The paper documents three separate but related investigations. First, in a review of a sample of annual reports for the 1991 financial year, it is apparent that environmental disclosure practices adopted by the sample are self-laudatory, with companies promoting positive aspects of their environmental performance, but failing to disclose negative aspects. Second, in a review of corporate disclosure practices in the period 1980 to 1991, environmental disclosure made by the sample significantly increases across time. This change is linked to an apparent increase in societal concern relating to environmental issues. Finally, using a questionnaire administered to environmental lobby groups, it appears that the extent of corporate environmental disclosure is positively associated with the environmental lobby groups' concern about the environmental performance of companies within particular industries.