Corporate Reporting Quality in Light of the New Sustainability Standards. Content Analysis Based on Environmental, Social, and Governance Factors

In recent decades, more and more researchers and practitioners have expressed their interest in sustainable development and sustainability. Since it was introduced in 1987, the concept of sustainable development has been treated by the United Nations in various ways, which are of reference not only to countries but also to companies. However, a clear understanding of how organizations should address sustainability is still missing, despite all efforts to encourage companies to improve their triple balance sheet. Today, sustainability reporting has become a common practice among the world’s leading companies as individuals are increasingly taking environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into account in their investment decisions. Nevertheless, adapting to a business environment where responsible investment becomes the rule poses several challenges to organizations. Even though transparency and non-financial reporting are gradually gaining ground and receiving more and more attention in Europe, there is still considerable emphasis on financial reporting in the eastern part of the continent. Consequently, in this paper, the authors are looking to identify how several selected companies listed on BVB (Bucharest Stock Exchange) (from different industries) take into account ESG values. They achieved their goal by conducting a content benchmark analysis, which emphasized the similarities and differences between the reports of the companies included in the analysis, issued over different periods. Last but not least, there were highlighted the standards and the non-financial reporting tools considered in the analysis carried out.