Global warming and corporate disclosures: A comparative analysis of companies from the European Union, Japan and Canada

Abstract

This chapter evaluates whether disclosures on global warming by companies from the European Union are more extensive than disclosures by Japanese and Canadian firms. The study is based on disclosures made on websites, annual reports, social, environmental and sustainability reports and on a questionnaire developed by the Carbon Disclosure Project by 282 of the largest firms from these countries. Content analysis is utilized to asses their disclosures. The results indicate that the EU firms make significantly less global warming disclosures than firms from Japan or Canada. We also find no relation between the changes in carbon emissions and global warming disclosures indicating that these disclosures do not truly reflect emission performance. These findings suggest that the EU requirements of reducing GHG pollution have not improved GHG disclosures. Regulatory disclosure requirements may be the answer to improve disclosures.

Citation

Freedman, M. and Jaggi, B. (2009), "Global warming and corporate disclosures: A comparative analysis of companies from the European Union, Japan and Canada", Freedman, M. and Jaggi, B. (Ed.) Sustainability, Environmental Performance and Disclosures (Advances in Environmental Accounting & Management, Vol. 4), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 129-160. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3598(2010)0000004009