Title: The integrated reporting of financial, social and sustainability capitals: a critical review and appraisal

Authors: Mark Anthony Camilleri

Addresses: Department of Corporate Communication, Faculty of Media and Knowledge Sciences, University of Malta, Msida, MSD2080, Malta; The Business School, University of Edinburgh, Bucchleuch Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9JS, Scotland

Abstract: Organisations are increasingly disclosing financial and non-financial performance as they are encouraged to become more accountable and transparent to the providers of capital and toward other interested parties. Most of them are clearly specifying their environmental, social and governance (ESG) content, as they report material information and resort to assurance mechanisms in their corporate disclosures. In this light, this research provides a critical review of key theoretical underpinnings that have anticipated the development of the corporations' integrated disclosures. Afterwards, it describes the International Integrated Reporting Council's <IR> Framework and its guiding principles. This contribution posits that there are both costs and benefits for those organisations who intend using the <IR> Framework. In conclusion, this paper outlines future avenues as it identifies knowledge gaps in the realms of the organisations' integrated reporting of capitals.

Keywords: corporations; corporate social responsibility; CSR; CSR reporting; integrated reporting; sustainability reporting; corporate governance; corporate disclosures; non-financial reporting; environmental, social and governance; ESG.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2017.090523

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2017 Vol.9 No.4, pp.311 - 326

Received: 09 Jun 2017
Accepted: 08 Jan 2018
Published online: 19 Mar 2018 *

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