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Article
Publication date: 23 March 2012

Charles H. Cho, Martin Freedman and Dennis M. Patten

The purpose of this paper is to examine three potential explanations for the corporate choice to disclose environmental capital spending amounts.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine three potential explanations for the corporate choice to disclose environmental capital spending amounts.

Design/methodology/approach

Using archival data from a sample of Fortune 500 US firms operating in industries subject to both the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) TRI program and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Hazard Communication Standards, the authors conduct quantitative threshold tests to first investigate whether disclosure appears to be a function of the materiality of the spending. Using statistical tests, including multiple regression analyses, the authors next attempt to differentiate the choice to disclose across voluntary disclosure theory and legitimacy theory arguments.

Findings

First, the authors find that, for the overwhelming majority of observations, the disclosed amounts are not quantitatively material. This suggests that non‐disclosure is likely due to immateriality. Next, their findings show that disclosing firms do not exhibit improved subsequent environmental performance relative to non‐disclosing companies. Further, controlling for firm size and industry class, they find the choice to disclose is associated with worse environmental performance.

Research limitations/implications

The sample includes only relatively larger firms from certain industries and this limits the generalizability of the findings. Smaller firms and those from excluded industries may have other reasons to choose to disclose environmental information. Further, the authors rely on TRI data to assess pollution performance, but TRI is self‐reported and its reliability is only as good as the inputs. Finally, although environmental capital spending is potentially relevant information, this investigation does not examine other types of environmental information disclosure.

Practical implications

This paper provides corroborating evidence that companies use the disclosure of environmental capital spending as a strategic tool to address their exposures to political and regulatory concerns. Hence, interpreting disclosed environmental information would appear to require careful understanding of the underlying motivations.

Originality/value

This paper extends the environmental accounting and reporting literature by contributing to the unresolved question of what drives differences in the corporate disclosure of environmental information. The authors add to this body of research by investigating the disclosure of one specific piece of environmental information, the amount of capital expenditures incurred for pollution abatement and control.

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Article
Publication date: 8 August 2024

Charles H. Cho and Ericka Costa

This viewpoint aims to discuss the transformative role, the current challenges and the outlook of sustainability accounting education (SAE).

496

Abstract

Purpose

This viewpoint aims to discuss the transformative role, the current challenges and the outlook of sustainability accounting education (SAE).

Design/methodology/approach

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have a “social responsibility” to foster competencies and skills for sustainable development within their student bodies and communities. Previous literature has explored the interplay between HEIs and sustainable development goals (SDGs) by exploring the need to incorporate the SDGs within an institution’s learning and teaching objectives. We conduct a review of previous studies, together with an informative understanding of the role of sustainability accounting education in HEIs.

Findings

Based on this review, we argue that universities can enhance the SDGs by training skilled young people in sustainability accounting, thus fostering a “transformative role” in society. The authors highlight two directions for expanding SAE: (1) there is an urgent need to improve the accounting curriculum, thus including greater attention to ecological systems, business ethics and values; and (2) new inclusive and constructionist pedagogies should be offered to radically transform the education of future accounting professionals.

Practical implications

Accounting and business educators in HEIs need to consider updating and upgrading systematically the existing curricula with pertinent learning outcomes and competency development relevant to SDGs and sustainability accounting. This transformative opportunity also requires engagement with the professional bodies to determine the professional curriculum. Engagement with professional accounting bodies could be challenging to transform the accountancy professions in two directions – employability and lifelong learning. New accounting professions will emerge in the future and the interplay with the current HEI model and program is crucial.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need to discuss, support and move sustainability accounting education forward.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 25 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 31 July 2020

Charles H. Cho, Anna Kim, Michelle Rodrigue and Thomas Schneider

The purpose of this paper is two-fold. The first is to provide insight into the academic life, teaching and research activities of active participants in the sustainability…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is two-fold. The first is to provide insight into the academic life, teaching and research activities of active participants in the sustainability accounting and management academic community in North America. The second is to provide readers with an overview of the papers in this special issue.

Design/methodology/approach

To meet the first objective, we specifically sought out those who self-identify as sustainability accounting and management academics, based in North American universities and who actively engage in the sustainability academic community in North America. Using an anonymous online survey, this group was asked to respond to various questions about their academic life, research and teaching activities.

Findings

Survey respondents report that they choose to focus on sustainability accounting and management because they want to make a difference (change the world). To that end, the respondents identify carbon emissions and climate change, social issues such as inequalities, as well as grand challenges and sustainable development goals, as important research topics to pursue in the future. While passionate about their research topics, respondents generally note that research outlets that will serve to significantly move their careers forward are difficult to find. A relatively small number of respondents teach sustainability accounting or management, however, most courses taught are dedicated to the topic and teaching sustainability was identified as amongst the most enjoyable aspects of their academic lives.

Practical implications

With study respondents feeling closed out of a number of mainstream journals, career paths at North American institutions could appear somewhat limited for those choosing sustainability accounting and management research as a focus, interest and even passion. This is perhaps even more profound on the teaching side where from a practical perspective, we need to be teaching accountants and managers the significance of sustainability in and for the profession, yes – but even more so for society broadly.

Social implications

As we move into the digital age, it is important that professionals bend their minds to sustainability as much as they do to keep up with the “pace of change” on other fronts. A potential risk is that “high-tech” subsumes equally important social aspects that need to be embedded in the process of generating accounting and management professionals.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a survey on the work experiences of a sample of scholars teaching and doing research in the area of sustainability accounting and management has been presented for publication. It is meant to provide some descriptive insights into what drives some active participants in this group of academics and reflect on where the future might lead as sustainability becomes an urgent necessity rather than a choice. These descriptive insights and reflections provide a starting point for future inquiries.

Details

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, vol. 11 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8021

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 2 May 2018

Weizhang Sun, Chunguang Zhao, Yaping Wang and Charles H. Cho

The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of investor sentiment on managers’ decisions to provide CSR disclosures. The core issue focuses on whether, why and how managers…

1779

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of investor sentiment on managers’ decisions to provide CSR disclosures. The core issue focuses on whether, why and how managers adjust their approach to CSR disclosure to cater to the investor sentiment.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of 13,488 observations of A-share listed companies, the authors examine the impacts of investor sentiment on CSR disclosure, which is measured separately by the propensity to issue a standalone CSR report and the quality of CSR reports. Furthermore, the authors examine the moderating role of institutional factors in China.

Findings

The authors find that during low-sentiment periods, managers are more likely to issue a standalone CSR report and the quality of CSR reports is higher, and vice versa. Additionally, the authors find that the negative correlations between CSR disclosure and investor sentiment are stronger in state-owned enterprises.

Research limitations/implications

First, the measurement of investor sentiment reflects only a part of characteristics of investor sentiment. Second, the authors pay less attention to the specific items of a CSR report.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature on CSR disclosure and investor sentiment by combining the two fields together. Furthermore, the study deepens the understanding of the institutional context in China and contributes to research on the predictors of CSR disclosure.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 56 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 2 June 2022

Charles H. Cho, Tiphaine Jérôme and Jonathan Maurice

This paper aims to conduct an analysis of management research based on impact measures, with a focus on the accounting discipline and the environment theme. Using author and…

793

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to conduct an analysis of management research based on impact measures, with a focus on the accounting discipline and the environment theme. Using author and journal data as units of analysis, this study seek to determine the representation of environmental accounting researchers among the most cited accounting authors and the consideration given to environmental issues in the impact assessment of management journals.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collects and quantitatively analyzes the publications and citations of the 50 most cited accounting authors and run a principal component analysis on a collection of journal-centered indicators and rankings.

Findings

This study finds that – among the most cited accounting authors – environmental accounting researchers hold a relatively influential position although their research is mainly published in non-top-tier accounting journals. This study also documents that some environment-themed journals suffer from significant disadvantages in peer-reviewed journal rankings.

Practical implications

Environmental accounting researchers are likely to disseminate their research in other media than in top-tier journals. This may have an impact on the academic viability of this field.

Social implications

Despite their strong connection to societal issues, some research themes could become understudied if journal rankings are not able to consider publication outlets in a more comprehensive way. There is a strong need for a broader consideration of scientific production, particularly in relation to its overall societal impact.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time an empirical analysis, combining author and journal data and documenting such findings, has been presented for publication. This study means to provide some descriptive insights into where environmental accounting researchers and environment-themed journals stand.

Details

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, vol. 13 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8021

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 17 February 2023

Artie W. Ng, Tiffany Cheng Han Leung, Tao-Wang Yu, Charles H. Cho and Tai Ming Wut

This study aims to examine the potential disparities in environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting among emerging Chinese enterprises (ECEs). ECEs are subject to a set…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the potential disparities in environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting among emerging Chinese enterprises (ECEs). ECEs are subject to a set of internationally oriented ESG requirements imposed by the regulator of a global financial center that is exposed to diverse stakeholders. The authors also consider ECEs’ underlying institutional ownership, which exhibits influence over governance as a salient component of ESG.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a random sample of 500 ECEs listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK) – the global financial center of China. ESG reporting is measured by using the key performance indicators of the SEHK’s ESG Reporting Guide. The data are collected from annual reports that contain ESG disclosures or standalone ESG/sustainability reports published during the 2018–2019 fiscal year. The authors adopt binary logistic regressions and Chi-square tests to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The authors find that ECEs’ heterogeneous institutional ownership and the extent of overseas development are associated with their disclosures on climate change. ECEs with international institutional ownership are found to be a significant factor for reporting aligned with the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs), using external assurance and stakeholder engagement, rather than state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and private companies. The authors also document that the presence of independent nonexecutive directors (INEDs) is significantly associated with reporting on meeting the SDGs and its use of external assurance, while the presence of female directors is a significant factor influencing disclosure emphasis on energy-saving initiatives.

Practical implications

The authors provide an empirical study of ECEs beyond the focus on SOEs that are expected to produce comprehensive ESG reporting in addressing a broader international community of stakeholders apart from the regime of their home country. The authors document the pertinence of ECEs’ institutional ownership and governance diversity to ESG reporting. In particular, international stakeholders need to recognize such underlying differences among ECEs rather than viewing them as a homogeneous group.

Social implications

The authors suggest that policymakers and practitioners in Asian countries consider increasing the presence of INEDs and gender diversity on ECE boards to enhance ESG reporting, which reinforces the findings of prior international studies suggesting such governance practices.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge about ESG reporting by documenting the underlying heterogeneity within ECEs, which are subject to a set of internationally oriented standards, as evidenced by their disparities in ESG reporting.

Details

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8021

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 6 March 2017

Joanna Krasodomska and Charles H. Cho

The purpose of this study is to examine the usage of non-financial information related to corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues from the perspective of sell-side analysts…

2030

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the usage of non-financial information related to corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues from the perspective of sell-side analysts (SSAs) and buy-side analysts (BSAs) employed in Poland-based financial institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a survey among financial analysts with the use of the computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) method and an online questionnaire. The adopted methods included purposeful, quota sampling and snowball sampling.

Findings

Results indicate that financial analysts make use of CSR disclosures very rarely and attribute little importance to such information. Despite the limited use of CSR information and negative assessments of its quality, respondents are in favor of making a more frequent use of CSR disclosures. Finally, except for an analyst’s attitude toward the “comparability in time” information characteristic, results do not indicate any significant differences between SSAs’ and BSAs’ responses.

Research limitations/implications

The limited number of questionnaires prevented the use of more sophisticated statistical methods and the formulation of conclusions that could apply to the entire population. In addition, although the adopted CATI method provides a number of advantages, it also has its limitations – interviews had limited time and the questions along with the answers had to take into account the respondents’ limited perception ability.

Practical implications

The results of this study suggest that CSR disclosures have limited usage for financial analysts, at least in the Polish context. Further, not only do respondents rarely make use of CSR disclosures but they also give low assessments to their quality. This implies that the concept of CSR remains relatively far from becoming a priority; hence, some measures and incentives may be necessary.

Originality/value

The paper adds to a relatively small number of studies that have dealt with the issue of non-financial information and its usefulness for SSAs and BSAs in Central and Eastern Europe.

Details

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, vol. 8 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8021

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 4 November 2020

Nadia Albu, Cătălin Nicolae Albu, Oana Apostol and Charles H. Cho

Mobilizing a theoretical framework combining institutional logics and “imprinting” lenses, this paper provides an in-depth contextualized analysis of how historical imprints…

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Abstract

Purpose

Mobilizing a theoretical framework combining institutional logics and “imprinting” lenses, this paper provides an in-depth contextualized analysis of how historical imprints affect social and environmental reporting (SER) practices in Romania, a post-communist country in Eastern Europe.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct a qualitative field study with a diverse dataset including regulations, publicly available reports and interviews with multiple actors involved in the SER field in Romania. The authors follow a reflexive approach in constructing the narratives by mobilizing their personal experience and understanding of the field to analyze the rich empirical material.

Findings

The authors identify a blend of logics that combine local and Western conceptualizations of business responsibilities and explain how the transition from a communist ideology to the free market economy affected SER practices in Romania. The authors also highlight four major imprints and document their longitudinal development, evidencing three main patterns: persistence, transformation and decay. The authors find that the deep connections that form between logics and imprints explain the cohabitation of logics rather than their straight replacement.

Originality/value

The paper contributes by evidencing the role of imprints' dynamics in the institutionalization of SER logics. The authors claim that the persistence (decay) of imprints from a former regime such as communism hinders (facilitates) the institutionalization of Western SER logics. Transformation instead has more uncertain effects. The pattern that an imprint takes hinges upon its usefulness for business interests.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 34 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 16 June 2023

Bilal, Ali Meftah Gerged, Hafiz Muhammad Arslan, Ali Abbas, Songsheng Chen and Shahid Manzoor

The study aims to identify and discuss influential aspects of corporate environmental disclosure (CED) literature, including key streams, themes, authors, keywords, journals…

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Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to identify and discuss influential aspects of corporate environmental disclosure (CED) literature, including key streams, themes, authors, keywords, journals, affiliations and countries. This review also constructs agendas for future CED research.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a bibliometric review approach, the authors reviewed 560 articles on CED from 215 journals published between 1982 and 2020.

Findings

The authors' insights are three-fold. First, the authors identified three core streams of CED research: “legitimization of environmental hazards via environmental disclosures,” “the role of environmental accounting in achieving corporate environmental sustainability” and “integrating environmental social and governance (ESG) reporting into the global reporting initiatives (GRI) guidelines”. Second, the authors also deployed a thematic map that classifies CED research into four themes: niche themes (e.g. institutional theory and environmental management system), motor themes (e.g. stakeholder engagement), emerging/declining themes (e.g. legitimacy theory) and basic/transversal themes (e.g. voluntary CED, environmental reporting and corporate social responsibility). Third, the authors highlighted important CED authors, keywords, journals, articles, affiliations and countries.

Research limitations/implications

This study assists researchers, journal editors and consultants in the corporate sector to comprehensively understand various dimensions of CED research and practices and suggests potential emerging research areas. Although this paper appears to have been thoroughly conducted, using authors' keywords to identify themes was a key limitation. Thus, the authors call upon using a more comprehensive data mining technique that uses keywords in abstracts, titles and the whole body of papers and then identifies inclusive trends in CED literature.

Originality/value

The authors contribute to the extant accounting literature by investigating the organizational-level CED, both mandatory and voluntary, using a systematic and bibliometric literature review model to summarize the key research streams, themes, authors, journals, affiliations and countries. By doing so, the authors construct a future research agenda for CED literature.

Available. Content available
Article
Publication date: 4 September 2018

Delphine Gibassier, Jonathan Maurice and Charles Cho

593

Abstract

Details

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8021

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