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Nowadays, social and environmental reporting is approached in different ways, paths and fields by either large-, small-, or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, as demonstrated by previous scholars, SMEs have been critically discussed because they provide lack of proper sustainability disclosure. The fact that the predominant approach of SMEs toward social responsibility is often “sunken” and not “explicit” can drive the lack of disclosure. Furthermore, unstructured communication practices create difficulties in measuring and reporting the sustainability reporting phenomenon in SMEs. The aim of our study is to shed light on the activity of SMEs’ sustainability reporting and disclosure, specifically, by addressing the variables that influence the choice of the guidelines used to prepare sustainability reports.

The research has been carried out by using qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The empirical evidence is based on all the Italian companies, mostly SMEs, that were certified in 2011 as having adopted both environmental (i.e., ISO14001 or EMAS) and social (i.e., SA8000) management systems. A multivariate linear regression model has been developed to address the influence of several variables (i.e., financial performance, size, time after achievement of the certifications, group/conglomerate control, etc.) on the guidelines’ choice for preparing sustainability reports.

Our findings demonstrate that SMEs prefer to use simple guidelines such as those guidelines that are mandatory under management system certifications. However, the sustainability disclosure driven by the adoption of international guidelines may be more complex if the SME is controlled within a group of companies or if a significant amount of time has passed since the certification date. As such, we developed a taxonomy of their different behavioral drivers according to a legitimacy theory approach.

At this stage, our study didn’t focus on the contents’ quality of the disclosure and reporting practices adopted by SMEs, which is obviously a worthwhile and important area for further research. Furthermore, the analysis took into account the impact of a number of easily accessible variables; therefore, it can be extended to investigate the effect on disclosure of other relevant variables (i.e., nature of the board of directors, age, and industrial sector in which the company operates) as well as contexts prevailing in other countries.

The study represents an important contribution for understanding how and why managers might use externally focused disclosure on social and environmental issues to benefit the company’s legitimacy.

Our study provides interesting insights for policy makers who require social or environmental certification when calling for tenders or specific EU contracts, in order to put aside the “brand” or “symbol” and really focus on the disclosed practices.

Previous studies have provided only a few evidence about reporting practices and related influencing features of SMEs’ sustainability actions. As such, the study wishes to make a significant contribution to the existing literature on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by providing relevant insights about the factors which influence the guidelines used by SMEs in preparing their sustainability reports.

Valuation is a professional activity based on international and local standards. In the valuation process more than one method can be modified. In this case, a final reconciliation of different opinions of value may be required. It is a matter of fact that the final result of these different valuation methods may vary. Therefore, in the final part of the valuation process, the valuer is required to assign a weight to the different methodologies to reach an appropriate opinion of value. This process is essentially based on valuer’s expertise. This paper aims to propose an automatic procedure of calculating the weights to assist the valuer in the valuation process.

The work provides methodologies to assign the weights through simple mathematical procedures that can be used to support subjective judgement in the valuation process. The models proposed can be applied to other phases of reconciliation inside the valuation process and are based on the collection of previous property data in the same market segment.

Two different methodologies are proposed to support valuers in the valuation process and in particular in the phase of the choice of the weights for final reconciliation purposes.

The implication is the development of an information system to support the appraiser in providing these weights. The models proposed are only two but represent a future, much larger field of research.

The models may help in determining more consistent valuation reports.

Consistent valuation reports for the determination of mortgage lending value may contribute to the stability of the social and economic system, especially after the 2008 non-agency mortgage crisis.

These are original models proposed in literature for such kind of problems.