Meeting the evolving corporate reporting needs of government and society: arguments for a deliberative approach to accounting rule making

We review ways in which corporate reporting might be useful for the government's management of the macro economy and for society's needs for more comprehensive reporting of corporate social and environmental performance. We highlight the constitutive as well as the representational nature of corporate reporting and how accounting subtlety impacts the culture and focus of governments, societies and corporations. Prominent examples are the ways accounting encourages financialisation and fails to account for externalities and the environment. While many proposals for the reform of corporate reporting emphasise more standards and rules, we suggest that what is needed instead are different rules, brought about by a more deliberative approach. A move to deliberation, however, requires that accountants highlight the pervasive but often subtle impacts of accounting.     

Tax impact in corporate social responsibility decisions and reporting

Tax effects of corporate social responsibility decisions should be incorporated into the various approaches for performing social audits or accounting for social performance. This paper identifies some special U.S. tax provisions which encourage corporate participations in social responsibilities. The Linowes' socio-economic accounting model is revised to show tax costs.     

Social impact disclosure and corporate annual reports

Corporate Social Responsibility may be clarified by utilizing the economic concept of externalities. The line-by-line prose in annual reports throws some light on the intensity and nature of these activities. Two independent tests support the concept that annual reports may for some purposes be considered a reasonable surrogate for real activity. Annual reports from eighty-two food-processing corporations are used as a data base to illuminate corporate social responsibility activities, as well as the nature of current disclosure patterns.     

The effect of mandatory CSR disclosure on firm profitability and social externalities: Evidence from China

We examine how mandatory disclosure of corporate social responsibility (CSR) impacts firm performance and social externalities. Our analysis exploits China's 2008 mandate requiring firms to disclose CSR activities, using a difference-in-differences design. Although the mandate does not require firms to spend on CSR, we find that mandatory CSR reporting firms experience a decrease in profitability subsequent to the mandate. In addition, the cities most impacted by the disclosure mandate experience a decrease in their industrial wastewater and SO₂ emission levels. These findings suggest that mandatory CSR disclosure alters firm behavior and generates positive externalities at the expense of shareholders.     

Another look at corporate social responsibility and reporting: An empirical study in a developing country

This paper presents a view of corporate social responsibility accounting and reporting from the standpoint of a developing country. The study is based on a personal interview questionnaire survey conducted by the authors with mainly chief executive officers in one hundred companies operating in Malaysia. Various aspects of corporate social performance, including social reporting, are examined. The findings indicate that social reporting lags behind corporate social involvement and that major corporate attention is focused on activities relating to employees and products/services. In addition, the results show that corporate size and national origin of corporate ownership are relevant in reflecting the extent of social commitments made by companies.     

The accountant will have a central role in saving the planet … really? A reflection on ‘green accounting and green eyeshades twenty years later’

There is widespread but not universal acceptance that organisations should provide ‘accounts’ of not only their financial performance, but also of their social and environmental performance. There have also been various suggestions across time that traditional financial reporting frameworks, albeit with some modification, have relevance to calls for greater corporate accountability. This paper seeks to dismiss such suggestions. For the accounting profession to be able to meaningfully contribute to extending accountability beyond investors, lenders, and creditors (and it undoubtedly serves these interests well) it will need to abandon many core accounting conventions and principles – something that is deemed unlikely to occur – at least in the readers’ lifetime. This paper also highlights the apparent absurdity of using market-based mechanisms (such as cap-and-trade systems for pollutants) to solve social and environmental problems that were effectively caused by ‘the market’. Having questioned the role of the accounting profession in contributing to broad-based corporate accountability, the paper concludes by questioning the role of accounting and business educators in instilling some form of personal social responsibility in the minds of students.     

An analysis of the role of accounting standards for enhancing corporate governance and social responsibility

Accounting standards have been suggested as a means of requiring reporting by corporations that would enhance managers' concern for their shareholders and/or society. The analysis presented in this paper, however, leads to the conclusion that this role for accounting standards is not likely to be beneficial. The conclusion is based on the fact that the required measurements for useful standards cannot generally be made. This inherent limitation is absolute with respect to social responsibility concerns. With respect to corporate governance, accounting standards might be useful, primarily for reporting potentially fraudulent dealings and similar misuses of shareholder's assets by corporate managers. But even then, the cost of an accounting standard, ex ante, is likely to exceed its benefits to shareholders.     

Consequences of local social norms: A review of the literature in accounting,finance, and corporate governance

We synthesise the empirical archival research on the consequences of local social norms on accounting, finance, and corporate governance outcomes in an international setting. The literature reviewed is premised on the theory that corporations do not make decisions, but managers do, and managers are likely to be influenced by the socioeconomic environment of the region in which they operate and/or by the people with whom they interact. To provide a structure to our review, we identify social capital, religiosity, gambling norms, and corruption culture, as four constructs of local social norms and link these with financial reporting and external auditing, financial, investment, and dividend decisions, capital market consequences and finally, corporate governance and corporate social responsibility behaviour of firms. We highlight some limitations of the existing research and offer some suggestions for future research.     

Corporate greed: its effect on customer satisfaction,corporate social responsibility and corporate reputation among bank customers

Corporate greed has received increasing attention in recent years with various stories hitting the headlines, particularly after the global financial crisis and the ensuing negative attitudes toward banks. Customer satisfaction and corporate social responsibility are known to have a positive effect on corporate reputation among customers, but perceived corporate greed is likely to impede their effect. Corporate greed, customer satisfaction, corporate social responsibility and corporate reputation are considered, and a research model is proposed. Results indicate that the effect of corporate greed is stronger on corporate social responsibility than on customer satisfaction, implying that corporate social responsibility activities may be futile if the company is perceived to be acting greedily by its customers. Thus, perceptions of corporate greed need to be dealt with swiftly, to enable management to enhance the corporate reputation of the firm.     

Politicizing the expertise of the accounting industry in the realm of corporate social responsibility

The accounting industry plays an important role in the production and implementation of accountability mechanisms surrounding corporate social responsibility practices. Operating as both politicians and implementers of knowledge (Gendron, Cooper, & Townley, 2007), the expert activities of accountants are never purely technical. This paper focuses on the mediating role of accounting firms and professional bodies in aligning the socially responsible practices of organizations with the rational morality of the market. I show that the construction of the market as a moral marker of socially responsible action is the result of a major effort of rationalization aimed at justifying the emergence of a social and moral conscience in business, not in the name of subjective feelings or human values, but in the name of an economic and depoliticized logic of profitability. Drawing on the political analysis of Latour (2004) [Politics of Nature: How to Bring the Sciences into Democracy] and his metaphor of the ‘modern constitution’, I view the economicization of corporate social responsibility as symptomatic of the power imbalance between the world of humans and the world of objects governing the political structure of contemporary society and weakening democratic activity.     

公司社会责任履行对财务业绩的影响--基于发布企业社会责任报告下的研究

文章以2011～2012年披露企业社会责任报告的486家上市公司为样本,运用OLS回归方法,实证检验上市公司在发布企业社会责任报告的情况下,公司社会责任对财务业绩的影响。研究结果表明：上市公司多次发布企业社会责任报告能够促进公司财务业绩;公司履行社会责任能够直接促进公司财务业绩的提高;上市公司履行社会责任可以通过发布企业社会责任报告提高公司财务业绩。     

企业社会责任信息披露指标体系的构建

社会责任越来越受到经济社会的重视,如何计量和报告企业所承担的社会责任情况,成为了会计学科里一个新的研究热点,在分析和比较国外社会责任信息披露现状的基础上,结合国内的实际情况,参考了全球报告倡议组织（GRI）评价体系,试图从经济、社会、环境三个角度出发,分为六大类二十七小类构建出适合我国国情的企业社会责任信息披露指标体系。     

New Corporate Forms: One Viable Solution to Advancing Environmental Sustainability

There is a clear trend in corporate governance toward increased attention to the environmental and social impacts of business operations. Major consulting firms are advising Fortune 500 companies on how to become more environmentally sustainable, private equity and “impact” investors are measuring environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, and voluntary reporting and shareholder resolutions on issues of environmental sustainability are on the rise. While traditional corporate forms allow companies to embrace social and environmental responsibility with some measure of success, various real and perceived risks encourage directors to focus on short‐term profitability. Even if a company has a strong social mission at inception, founders often have difficulty “anchoring their mission” over time. And the lack of required disclosure of social and environmental performance makes it more difficult for investors to evaluate and compare companies. Many believe that the institutionalized mispricing of natural resources and the continued failure to price externalities, combined with the progressive nature of climate change, require the transformation of both business and law. This article discusses social and environmental sustainability within the traditional corporate form and then explores three emerging alternatives that are now being used by businesses in California: limited liability corporations (LLCs); benefit corporations (B corps); and flexible purpose corporations (FPCs). Of these three alternatives, FPCs—a corporate form that requires shareholders to agree on one or more social missions with management and the board—may be best suited to meet the needs of the many small private firms (as well as some large public companies) that, whether for purely economic or altruistic reasons, plan to integrate ESG into their operations.     

企业社会责任:“真心”抑或“幌子”?——基于高管内幕交易视角的研究

企业承担社会责任究竟是“真心”还是“幌子”?与现有研究聚焦于考察社会责任对企业行为的影响不同,本文基于高管个体行为视角,实证检验企业社会责任对高管个体证券交易行为的影响。基于2008～2014年中国沪深A股上市公司高管10338个内幕交易样本的实证结果显示:(1)企业承担社会责任不仅能抑制高管内幕交易的规模,更能显著降低高管内幕交易获利性,这表明作为社会责任的谋划者,企业高管并未以社会责任为“幌子”牟取个人证券交易的私利,在一定程度上提供了企业“真心”承担社会责任的证据;(2)进一步从“信息模型”和“声誉模型”双重视角探究发现,在企业信息不透明和高管个人声誉较差的情况下,企业社会责任对高管内幕交易获利性的抑制作用更为显著;并且相较于高管个人声誉较差的情况,企业社会责任在信息不透明的情况下对高管内幕交易获利性的抑制作用更强。总之,本研究从高管个体行为视角提供了企业社会责任具有积极治理作用的证据,不仅丰富了企业承担社会责任经济后果的研究,同时,对利益相关者也具有实践指导意义。     

企业社会责任:“真心”抑或“幌子”?——基于高管内幕交易视角的研究

企业承担社会责任究竟是“真心”还是“幌子”?与现有研究聚焦于考察社会责任对企业行为的影响不同,本文基于高管个体行为视角,实证检验企业社会责任对高管个体证券交易行为的影响。基于2008～2014年中国沪深A股上市公司高管10338个内幕交易样本的实证结果显示:(1)企业承担社会责任不仅能抑制高管内幕交易的规模,更能显著降低高管内幕交易获利性,这表明作为社会责任的谋划者,企业高管并未以社会责任为“幌子”牟取个人证券交易的私利,在一定程度上提供了企业“真心”承担社会责任的证据;(2)进一步从“信息模型”和“声誉模型”双重视角探究发现,在企业信息不透明和高管个人声誉较差的情况下,企业社会责任对高管内幕交易获利性的抑制作用更为显著;并且相较于高管个人声誉较差的情况,企业社会责任在信息不透明的情况下对高管内幕交易获利性的抑制作用更强。总之,本研究从高管个体行为视角提供了企业社会责任具有积极治理作用的证据,不仅丰富了企业承担社会责任经济后果的研究,同时,对利益相关者也具有实践指导意义。     

Corporate Social Responsibility Amid Social Distancing During the COVID-19 Crisis: BRICS vs. OECD Countries

This paper compares today’s corporate management in developing markets (BRICS countries) vs. developed markets (the OECD countries). The influence of determining a new social corporate management season considering social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic on emerging markets' economic growth is ascertained and set apart from corporate management in developing markets. This paper helps clarifying and better understanding the role of corporate social responsibility in the conditions of an economic crisis against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic. This work provides scientific arguments that allow solving critical discussions regarding the advantages (growth of quality of life, an increase of business's competitiveness) and costs (limitation of economic growth, non-commercial use of profit, and increased price for goods and services) of domestic production and consumption. In the long-term, responsible financial practices return all investments and allow countries to better cope with a crisis. The research supplies a new view of corporate social responsibility as a measure of crisis management. It reflects its advantages at a time of social distancing in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The institutionalization of corporate social responsibility in emerging countries is not predetermined by internal factors (approach to doing business or organizational culture), if not by external factors (market status, state regulation, and consumer awareness). These circumstances prove the high complexity of strengthening corporate social responsibility in developing countries. In the conditions of social distancing – due to the COVID-19 pandemic – corporate social responsibility goes to a new level. In both developing and developed countries, one of the most widespread manifestations of corporate social responsibility is the entrepreneurship's transition to the remote form of activities. This envisages the provision of remote employment for workers and the online purchase of goods and services for consumers.     

个人投资者情绪对企业履行社会责任的影响

基于利益相关者理论,运用多元回归模型,依据2010-2018年度企业社会责任相关数据,将中国A股非金融类上市公司分为重污染企业和非重污染企业,考量个人投资者情绪对企业社会责任的影响.结果显示:个人投资者情绪越积极,企业社会责任履行状况越好;个人投资者情绪治理的效果会受污染异质性影响,相对于非重污染企业而言,个人投资者情绪对于重污染企业社会责任履行的影响更显著.鉴于此,应建立投资者情绪监测机制、鼓励社会责任投资等.     

企业社会责任、融资约束与企业金融化

企业承担社会责任能够通过与利益相关者进行资源交换获得战略资源,但是战略资源对企业绩效的影响取决于企业的投资方向。在实体企业金融化愈演愈烈的经济环境下,本文利用2010—2017年中国A股非金融上市公司数据重点探讨了企业社会责任对企业金融化的影响及其作用机制。研究结果表明:(1)企业社会责任提高了企业的金融资产配置水平,存在“金融化效应”;(2)融资约束在企业社会责任对企业金融化的影响中具有部分中介作用,企业社会责任通过缓解融资约束加剧了企业金融化;(3)企业社会责任的“金融化效应”仅在外部监管力度较弱的非国有企业、内部治理水平较低的低股权集中度企业中存在,行政外部监督和企业内部监督能够在“融资约束—企业金融化”过程中对管理层的机会主义行为发挥治理作用;(4)识别机制检验证实了中国企业金融化主要出于利润最大化的“投资替代”动机。以上结论为政策制定者规范企业社会责任报告披露方式、引导金融回归实体经济具有借鉴意义。     

Corporate Social Responsibility: Why Business Should Act Responsibly and Be Accountable

This paper identifies drivers which are pressurising organisations to adopt corporate social responsibility and produce corporate social reports. The authors discuss what constitutes a good report, some of the problems with current reporting practices, benefits to organisations which produce corporate social reports and the costs to those which do not.     

企业社会责任报告鉴证意见是否具有信息含量——来自我国上市公司的经验证据

近年来,我国上市公司披露企业社会责任报告的现象越来越多,企业保证社会责任报告质量的方式有两种:一是独立第三方出具的企业社会责任报告鉴证意见;二是企业董事会对企业社会责任报告质量出具的自我承诺。这两种保证形式是否具有信息含量是大家所关心的问题。本文以沪深两市2009—2010年披露企业社会责任报告的940家上市公司为研究对象,依据信号传递理论,运用事件研究法研究发现:企业社会责任报告鉴证意见具有正向的市场反应,而董事会承诺不具有市场反应。根据我国的制度背景、理论分析和实证结果,从如何完善我国的企业社会责任报告鉴证标准、鉴证主体、鉴证客体、政府部门对董事会承诺的监管重点等方面提出了政策建议。