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A proposal for a balanced scorecard for the water utilities sector to address the United Nations sustainable development goals

Helena I.B. Saraiva (Department of Management and Economics, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda and NECE–Research Unit, Guarda, Portugal)
Maria do Céu Alves (Department of Management and Economics, University of Beira Interior and NECE–Research Unit, Covilhã, Portugal)
Vítor M.S. Gabriel (Department of Management and Economics, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal and CICF, School of Management, IPCA, Barcelos, Portugal)
Sanjaya Chinthana Kuruppu (UniSA Business, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia)

Meditari Accountancy Research

ISSN: 2049-372X

Article publication date: 3 July 2024

Issue publication date: 10 September 2024

212

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the technical, social and moral aspects of accounting through the implementation of a novel balanced scorecard (BSC) that addresses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation – within the Portuguese water utilities sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A novel research design is adopted, using actor network theory (ANT) as a broad approach to frame the study. ANT emphasizes the importance of ever-evolving networks of relationships and how concepts such as the BSC are just as important in structuring social practice. A set of expert interviews was conducted with stakeholders in the water utilities sector in Portugal, which led to the iterative development of a context-relevant BSC proposal and associated indicators.

Findings

A novel BSC architecture to achieve UN SDG 6 is proposed through a unique engagement between professionals and academics. The BSC, and the specific definition of indicators for an entire sector (water), contribute to bridging business processes with the common good to improve life and planetary conditions. Ultimately, the study discusses how the technical aspects of accounting can be enhanced to achieve social and moral imperatives. The paper also reflects on the limitations of broadening existing technical practices.

Originality/value

There is a burgeoning literature on how organizations are engaging with the UN SDG agenda. However, there is a dearth of studies on how management control systems are currently addressing, or can potentially contribute to measuring and managing specific UN SDGs such as Clean Water and Sanitation. This study makes a unique contribution to the literature by developing a novel BSC solution to SDG 6 measurement and management using a novel practitioner-led approach. Ultimately, our study highlights how accounting can be broadened to enhance technical practices while also serving a moral and social purpose.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would especially like to thank the anonymous comments received as part of the peer review process at Meditari Accountancy Research; they would also like to thank the contributions received at different academic events where the article was presented.

This study was carried out at NECE, the Business Sciences Research Center; NECE and this work are funded by FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology, IP, project UIDB/04630/2020 and DOI identifier 10.54499/UIDB/04630/2020; and at the Accounting and Taxation Research Center (CICF), which is funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through national funds (UIDB/04043/2020 and UIDP/04043/2020).

Citation

Saraiva, H.I.B., Alves, M.d.C., Gabriel, V.M.S. and Chinthana Kuruppu, S. (2024), "A proposal for a balanced scorecard for the water utilities sector to address the United Nations sustainable development goals", Meditari Accountancy Research, Vol. 32 No. 5, pp. 1894-1930. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-04-2023-1969

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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