Lyton Chithambo and Venancio Tauringana
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether four corporate governance mechanisms (board size, non-executive directors, ownership concentration and directors’ share…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether four corporate governance mechanisms (board size, non-executive directors, ownership concentration and directors’ share ownership) influence the extent of greenhouse gas (GHG) disclosure.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a mixed-methods approach based on a sample of 62 FTSE 1,000 firms. Firstly, the authors surveyed the senior management of 62 UK-listed firms in the FTSE 1,000 index to determine whether the corporate governance mechanisms influence their GHG disclosure decisions. Secondly, the authors used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to model the relationship between the corporate governance mechanisms and GHG disclosure scores of the 62 firms.
Findings
The survey and OLS regression results both suggest that corporate governance mechanisms (board size and NEDs) do not influence GHG disclosures. However, the results of the two approaches differ, in that the survey results suggest that corporate governance mechanisms (ownership concentration and directors’ share ownership) do not influence the extent of GHG disclosure, while the opposite is true with the OLS regression results.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size of 62 firms is small which could affect the generalisability of the study. The mixed results mean that more mixed-methods approach is needed to improve the understanding of the role of corporate governance in GHG disclosures.
Originality/value
The use of mixed-methods to examine whether corporate governance mechanisms determine the extent of GHG voluntary disclosure provides additional insights not provided in prior studies.
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Lyton Chithambo and Venancio Tauringana
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between company-specific factors and the extent of greenhouse gas (GHG) disclosures.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between company-specific factors and the extent of greenhouse gas (GHG) disclosures.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a sample of 210 FTSE 350 companies and uses the disclosure index to quantify GHG disclosures made in the annual reports, sustainability reports and web sites in 2011. Ordinary least squares regression is employed to model the relationship between the company-specific factors and the extent of GHG disclosures.
Findings
The results indicate that company size, gearing, financial slack and two industries (consumer services and industrials) are significantly associated with GHG disclosures while profitability, liquidity and capital expenditure are not. When the authors disaggregate GHG disclosures into qualitative and quantitative, the results suggest that the effect of some company factors differ depending on the type of GHG disclosures.
Research limitations/implications
The study is cross-sectional. A longitudinal study is necessary to understand the dynamics of GHG disclosures as firms may change their disclosure policy as the importance of GHG increases. The results imply that policy makers need to take into account certain company-specific factors when formulating policy aimed at improving GHG disclosures.
Originality/value
The results add evidence to the growing body of research focusing on the relationship between company-specific factors and GHG disclosure. The study also provides evidence that the effect of some company-specific factors on GHG disclosures differ depending on whether the GHG disclosures are quantitative or qualitative.
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Venancio Tauringana and Lyton Chithambo
The purpose of this paper is to investigate compliance with risk disclosure requirements under International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 7 by Malawian Stock…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate compliance with risk disclosure requirements under International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 7 by Malawian Stock Exchange-listed companies over a three-year period. Specifically, the paper examines the extent and determinants of risk disclosure compliance with IFRS 7.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a mixed-method approach. The quantitative approach employs the research index methodology and uses panel data regression analysis to examine the relationship between proportion of non-executive directors (NEDs), size, gearing and profitability and the extent of risk disclosure compliance. The results of the panel data regression analysis are triangulated by the qualitative research approach in the form of personal interviews with company managers.
Findings
The results indicate that over the three years, the extent of compliance with IFRS 7 is, on average, 40 per cent which is very low. The regression results suggest that NEDs, size and gearing are significantly and positively associated with the extent of risk disclosure compliance under IFRS 7. The results of qualitative approach are mixed since some support and whilst others contradict the regression results.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size is very small which may affect the generalisability of the study.
Originality/value
The use of a mixed-methods approach to examine the determinants of risk disclosure compliance provides additional insights not provided in prior studies. The contradicting results suggest that more research using the mixed approach is required to provide more robust evidence of the determinants of risk disclosure compliance.