Title: Sustainability reporting in airlines industry: evidence from Turkey

Authors: Seval Kardes Selimoglu; Arzu Ozsozgun Caliskan

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Anadolu University, Yeşiltepe Mah., 26210 Tepebaşı-Eskişehir, Turkey ' Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Yildiz Technical University, Davutpaşa Campus, 34220 Esenler, Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract: Airlines are a crucial driver for economic and social development, connecting people, delivering products and transporting goods. Today, there is a much clearer recognition of the need to consider aviation's contribution to the three pillars of sustainability; economic, social and environment in a more integrated manner. Even sustainability reporting is popular subject in academic literature, sustainability reporting related researches are limited in the airlines. The main aim of this research paper is to address the status of sustainability reports in Turkish aviation industry by focusing airlines. In 2016, there are 13 airlines companies operating in Turkey's civil aviation industry in the field of passenger and cargo carriage. Data of the research collected through web sites visits of the companies, the GRI disclosure database, the public disclosure database (KAP) in Turkey. The results show that sustainability reporting practices are not common in Turkey's aviation industry. Among the 13 airlines companies, only one airlines company has sustainability reports. In addition to that, there is one airport operation company and one ground handling company in the sector that publish sustainability reports.

Keywords: sustainability; sustainability reporting; corporate reporting; aviation; airlines; developing country; emerging economy; Turkey.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSA.2018.094224

International Journal of Sustainable Aviation, 2018 Vol.4 No.2, pp.114 - 132

Received: 15 Nov 2017
Accepted: 27 Mar 2018

Published online: 22 Aug 2018 *

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