Employee-related disclosures in non-financial reports. Evidence from Poland

Abstract

Purpose: The article assesses the scope of employee-related disclosures in sustainability reports in Poland between 2017 and 2020. Methodology/approach: The research study covered 80 non-financial reports of the companies included in the WIG20 index. The employee-related disclosures were divided into four categories, and 24 non-financial metrics were analysed. The first stage of the research involved a quantitative analysis of selected non-financial metrics. The second analysed the rate of changes in disclosing employee-related information. Findings: From 2017 to 2020, the scope of employee-related disclosures in non-financial reports in Poland increased. Therefore, the transposition of Directive 2014/95/EU to the Polish legal system has had a positive effect on employee-related disclosures in non-financial reports, even though the observed change is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Research limitations/implications: The sample comprised only 20 companies and selected non-financial metrics; therefore, the results cannot be generalised. Originality/value: The study fits into the current trend of research conducted in the area of sustainability reporting. Using statistical indexes, the development of employee-related disclosures in non-financial reports in Poland after 2017 is assessed.