Trends in sustainability reporting by the Fortune Global 250

TLDR

Globalization’s negative social and environmental impacts have prompted multinational enterprises to report on measures that mitigate these externalities. The study examines how the 1990s‑initiated trend toward non‑financial reporting has evolved in the 21st century among Fortune Global 250 firms. Panel data from 1998 and 2001 show that about half of these firms now publish sustainability reports, with one‑third externally verified, greater prevalence in Europe and Japan due to regulation, growing inclusion of social issues, and a focus on traditional environmental, philanthropy, and employee topics, raising questions about the adequacy of current disclosures. © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Abstract

Abstract Against the background of critique on the negative social and environmental implications of globalization, multinational enterprises have become active in reporting on activities undertaken to prevent these ‘externalities’ of international trade and production. This article analyses to what extent and in what form the trend towards non‐financial reporting, which started in the 1990s, has continued in the 21st century. It presents both trend and panel data of the Fortune Global 250 in 1998 and 2001, showing a continued and significant rise of sustainability reporting to approximately half of these multinationals, with some sector and country variations. One‐third of the reports are externally verified. Especially in Europe and Japan, the ‘sustained’ nature of sustainability reporting is accompanied by regulatory requirements and government encouragements. The number of reports that includes social (and sometimes also financial) issues has increased considerably. The article also shows that in these reports the more ‘traditional’ topics, on the environment, corporate philanthropy and employees, receive much more attention than the broader external societal issues. It concludes with a reflection on the extent to which current forms of disclosure might address the concerns raised about multinationals' behaviour. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.