Corporate social responsibility reporting: What boards of directors need to know

Abstract

To avoid future generations being burdened with the residual consequences of unsustainable corporate practices, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes are being implemented to ameliorate the adverse impacts of corporate activity on the environment, society and the economy. Companies are responding by not only reporting on their financial performance, but also on their non-financial performance, making CSR reporting practices an important emerging mechanism for corporate governance. Recognising that CSR reporting is a relatively new voluntarily adopted intervention, for which the board of directors is ultimately accountable, this article accepts that CSR remains a relatively obscure concept with the associated responsibilities not being clearly understood. This article aims to provide insights into CSR reporting practices from a de facto mandatory reporting company perspective.