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This study aims to examine the impact of internet financial reporting (IFR) on companies’ performances as measured by three performance indicators, namely, stock price, stock returns and company value.

A sample of 139 non-financial companies listed in the Egyptian stock exchange is used and classified as 108 IFR companies and 31 non-IFR companies. To test the research hypotheses, an independent t-test and multiple linear regression analyses are used.

The results indicate that there are no significant differences between IFR companies and non-IFR companies for both stock price and stock return variables. Conversely, there is a significant difference between IFR companies and non-IFR companies in the company value variable. These results imply rejecting hypotheses H1 and H4 and accepting the hypothesis of H7 that the presence of IFR has an impact on company value. The multiple regression analyses results indicate a significant relation between the scope of IFR and stock price. Likewise, between the degree of IFR and company value. Both degree and scope of IFR have an insignificant impact on stock return, which infer that applying different performance measures can reveal different conclusions.

This research is a snapshot of IFR limited to a cross-sectional study and could not study the longitudinal data of internet reporting. Second, Marston and Polei (2004) contend that “weights contain an element of subjectivity, which cannot be completely avoided in the composition of such a score” (p. 297) and a variation in the disclosure index can lead to a modification in the results (Kaur and Kaur, 2020). This research applied a weighted index to measure the degree of IFR, which may affect the results and may change it if other indexes are applied. Moreover, the scores of the degree and scope of information disclosure are assumed to be similar every year due to the lack of information regarding the variations in content and presentation in the companies’ websites. Finally, the absence of a complete data set and stock prices for some companies in the sample.

To enhance the quantity and quality of IFR could be implemented through setting regulations and standards to govern IFR practices companies in Egypt. Moreover, the trade-off of the requirement of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority for Egyptian companies make information available online and the secrecy culture profound in the Egyptian society (Ahmed et al., 2015) involve assigning a regulatory body for monitoring the IFR practices to ensure disseminating timely and accurate information that helps investors make rational decisions.

The researchers recommend the suggestion to have an external assurance conducted by external auditors to enhance the accuracy and credibility of the IFR information.

Based on prior literature, no studies in Egypt compare between IFR companies and non-IFR companies concerning stock price and company value as measured by Tobin’s Q. Moreover, few research studies in Egypt covered the degree of IFR disclosure whilst not addressing the impact on the stock price. In addition, no prior study examined the scope of IFR disclosure in Egypt. Therefore, the research findings attribute to literature.

This study aims to examine the impact of board gender diversity on company greenhouse gas (GHG) performance, the influence of a critical mass of women on boards on carbon performance (CP) score and its three components separately (Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3). This study examines the presence of institutional investors as a contingent factor that intensifies the effectiveness of the critical mass of female directors on CP.

Using a sample of the US companies listed on Securities and Exchange Commission for the period 2011–2018 and making a total of 2416 observations. This study shows that reaching a critical mass of female board members enhances the level of CP. In addition, this study finds that the presence of institutional investors positively moderates this relationship.

The main results suggest that there is a nonlinear relationship between a critical mass of women directors and CP, and that institutional investors play a strategic role in shaping this relationship. The effect of institutional investors on the three components of CP is also analyzed.

This research is characterized by the methodology adopted for a quantitative variable for measuring CP. Indeed, other research the proxies related to carbon measurements are often used as a simple binary variable. This study verifies the harmony of the theory of critical mass measuring diversity within the board of directors, the presence of institutional investors on GHG emissions (Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3), unlike previous studies (Tingbani et al., 2020; Nuber and Velte, 2021) which only focus on the two measures of carbon emissions (Scope 1 and Scope 2).

This study shows identically that gender diversity on the board must reach a critical mass of three women directors to motivate and influence CP. We fill the gap in previous research regarding the role played by the institutional environment of the firm in improving CP. Third, this study highlights the relevance of having a critical mass of pressure-resistant female directors on boards due to their engagement in climate change issues and CP.

This paper aims to examine sites of dissonance or consensus between global investor responses to the draft standards, International Financial Reporting Standards S1 (IFRS) (General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information) and IFRS S2 (Climate-related Disclosures), issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

A thematic content analysis was used to capture investor views expressed in their comment letters submitted in the consultation period (March to July 2022) in comparison to the ex ante position (issue of draft standards, March 2022) and ex post summary feedback (ISSB staff papers, September 2022) of the ISSB.

There was investor consensus in support of the ISSB and the development of the draft standards. However, there were sites of dissonance between investors and the ISSB, notably regarding the basis and focus of reporting (double or single/financial materiality and enterprise value); definitional clarity; emissions reporting; and assurance. Incrementally, the research further highlights that investors display heterogeneity of opinion.

The ISSB standards will provide a framework for future sustainability reporting. This research highlights the significance of such reporting to investors through their responses to the draft standards. The findings reveal sites of dissonance in the development and alignment of draft standards to user needs. The views of investors, as primary users, should help inform the development of sustainability-related standards by a global standard-setting body apposite to current policy and future reporting requirements, and their usefulness to users in practice.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper makes an original contribution to the comment letter literature, hitherto focused on financial reporting with a relative lack of investor engagement. Using thematic analysis, sites of dissonance are examined between the views of investors and the ISSB on their development of sustainability reporting standards.

Drawing on paradox theory and the category of the “performing-organizing” paradox, the study investigates the tensions firms experience in the context of organizing the processes involved in managing their indirect GHG emissions.

The authors develop hypotheses to explain why the paradox elements of supply chain transparency and supply chain coordination affect firms' ability to reduce their indirect supply chains GHG emissions. Using a two-stage method based on data from Refinitiv and CDP for 2002 to 2021, the authors test this study’s hypotheses through panel regression analyses.

While greater transparency experience with scope 3 emissions disclosure, GSCM practices and broader supply chain engagement are all associated with higher levels of scope 3 emissions levels, both long-term transparency experience and GSCM practices are also associated with relative reductions in scope 3 emissions over time.

Given growing pressures on firms to demonstrate both transparency and legitimacy regarding their scope 3 emissions, firms must understand the characteristics of this paradox as this has implications for how emissions performance is perceived and managed. This study's results suggested that firms need to take both a long-term perspective and effectively communicate the differences involved in reporting their emissions performance to avoid unwarranted criticism.

Filling a gap in sustainable OSCM studies by providing large-scale quantitative insights into the relationships between organizing and performing, the authors demonstrate that the processes involved in firms' efforts of measuring and managing their indirect scope 3 emissions are paradoxically affected by whether performance outcomes are specified as annual absolute levels of scope 3 emissions, or relative changes over time.

A distinction must be drawn between a dismissal on the one hand, and on the other a repudiation of a contract of employment as a result of a breach of a fundamental term of that contract. When such a repudiation has been accepted by the innocent party then a termination of employment takes place. Such termination does not constitute dismissal (see London v. James Laidlaw & Sons Ltd (1974) IRLR 136 and Gannon v. J. C. Firth (1976) IRLR 415 EAT).

The corporate disclosure decision is one of the most difficult decisions any corporation, its management and counsel will face. If a corporation learns that it or one of its employees has engaged in a fraud or crime, the corporation, through its officers and directors, must decide whether it should disclose the fraud or crime to the government and, if the decision to disclose is made, what the scope of the disclosure should be. These decisions are fraught with dangers which threaten to expose the corporation and its employees to civil and criminal liability.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the simultaneous effect of the regulation (non-financial information (NFI)- 254/2016) and the factors driving in (no)environmental disclosure (ED) and the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) of Italian companies.

The study is supported by the theory of legitimacy. The level of ED regarding GHG was measured for 125 Italian companies in 2018, the companies were selected from Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa di Itália, because those included in the list of companies in the Dichiarazione Non Finanziaria all date back to December 31, 2019. Using a scoring system and content analysis of their annual reports, through 20 criteria supported by the literature. The study explores variables of the current legislation, the effect of disclosure and no disclosure, and the influence of the shareholding structure, managerial shareholding, economic power and industry classification at the ED level. The analyses were carried out using structural equation modeling because the authors seek to understand the cause-effect relationship between aspects of legitimacy with dissemination on GHG emissions.

This study finds that NFI.

The study is limited to understanding the effect of legislation on the level of mandatory disclosure in non-financial reports, and the Paris Agreement (voluntary) disclosure on GHG, so the choice of companies analyzed and the study variables are limited to companies that are required to publish non-financial reports, and the variables considered in the study take into account normative aspects and voluntary guidelines of the Paris Agreement. As implications, the results show that adherence to the Paris Agreement contributes more to the quality and comprehensiveness of the information than adherence to the European and Italian legislation (mandatory), which reinforces the understanding that even if the legislation has advanced, it is still soft regarding the quality of information on companies' practices regarding the reduction of GHG emissions.

The findings suggest that non-financial reports are being adopted by listed Italian companies, however, there is variation in the scope of the reports, especially on GHG. For companies listed in Italy, non-financial reports comply with Italian Legislative Decree 254/2016 (mandatory), however, the quality of information on GHG is improved when companies' reports have greater adherence to the Paris Agreement (voluntary).

The results can encourage companies listed in Italy to incorporate NFI in annual reports based on the Paris Agreement, the global pact to reduce GHG emissions, thus building confidence in the capital market and society in general.

The findings contribute to the literature on non-financial reporting, the level of compliance with legal basis and international best practices, such as the Paris Agreement, providing empirical analyzes of non-financial disclosures in publicly available reports in Italy.

With the growing attention around carbon emissions disclosure, the demand for external carbon assurance on emissions reports has been increasing by stakeholders as it provides additional credibility and confidence. This study investigates the association between the higher level of external carbon assurance and improvement in a firm's carbon emissions. It provides an understanding of corporate incentives for obtaining a higher level of carbon assurance, particularly in relation to carbon performance enhancements.

Data are collected from 170 US companies for the period 2012–2017 and are analysed using a change analysis. Generalised method of moment (GMM) is used to address endogeneity.

Following the rationales taken by legitimacy and “outside-in” management views, the findings reveal that a higher level of carbon assurance (i.e. reasonable assurance) marginally improves firms' carbon performance (i.e. reported carbon emissions). This is consistent with “outside-in” management view suggesting that a higher level of assurance could be utilised as a tool for accessing more information about stakeholders' needs and concerns, which can be useful in enhancing carbon performance.

The findings are generalisable to US firms and may not extend to other contexts.

The implication of this study for companies is that a high level of sustainability assurance is a useful tool to access detailed information about stakeholder concerns, of which internalisation can help to marginally improve carbon performance. For policymakers, the insights into and enhanced understanding of the incentives for obtaining carbon assurance can help policymakers to develop effective policies and initiatives for carbon assurance. Considering the possible improvements in carbon performance when obtaining a high level of sustainability verification, governments need to consider mandating carbon assurance.

This study extends the existing studies of assurance in sustainability context as well as in carbon context by explaining why companies voluntarily get expensive external verification (i.e. higher level of assurance) of their carbon emissions disclosure. This study responds to calls in the literature for empirical research investigating the association between environmental performance and external assurance with a focus on level of assurance.

1. A higher level of carbon assurance Marginally improves firms' carbon performance.

2. Corporate incentives to obtain higher level of carbon assurance is beyond seeking legitimacy.

3. Higher level of assurance is a useful tool for accessing more information about stakeholders' concerns.

4. Consistent with “ouside-in”management view, companies internalise stakeholders' concerns to marginally improve performance.

A higher level of carbon assurance Marginally improves firms' carbon performance.

Corporate incentives to obtain higher level of carbon assurance is beyond seeking legitimacy.

Higher level of assurance is a useful tool for accessing more information about stakeholders' concerns.

Consistent with “ouside-in”management view, companies internalise stakeholders' concerns to marginally improve performance.

This paper aims to explore the driving forces for having carbon reporting and carbon reduction management strategies in emerging and developing countries.

The methodology employed uses logit and linear panel data models and generalized moments method, to avoid endogeneity problems.

The results show that the carbon reporting decision is positively related to being located in Africa or America (as opposed to Asia), publishing a sustainability report and having certain corporate governance (CG) attributes such as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) committee, larger board size and an executive compensation policy based on environmental and social performance. Regarding the driving forces leading to a reduction of carbon emissions, no evidence is obtained on the effect of the variables considered.

The evidence obtained is valuable, as it can help standard-setters in these geographical areas to promote actions in the field of CG to increase transparency. Nonetheless, additional measures to disclosure should be needed in the future to help decrease carbon emissions more effectively.

Raising awareness amongst companies helps mimetic isomorphism take place so that efforts can be made to report levels of pollution in an initial phase, which hopefully in the future may be managed to try to keep a decreasing path. Therefore, implications of this research are crucial for emerging and developing countries, as they are especially vulnerable to climate change.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to look into this phenomenon in emerging and developing countries from Asia, Africa and America. This contribution is unique as this research shows that location, publication of a sustainability report together with some CG attributes are drivers for carbon transparency.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and compare the extent of voluntary disclosure in the annual reports of Shariah- and non–Shariah-compliant companies in Indonesia. Further, the study examines the relationship between voluntary disclosure and company characteristics (i.e. size of company, profitability, type of auditor, type of industry and ownership structure).

Voluntary disclosure was measured using a disclosure index with 30 items and content analysis of the 2009 annual report. Statistical analysis included descriptive, Mann–Whitney U and regression.

The result revealed that there is a statistically significant difference in the quantity and quality of voluntary disclosure value of Shariah- and non–Shariah-compliant companies. For regression results, the company size significantly influences the quantity of voluntary disclosure while the quality of voluntary disclosure is affected by company size and type of industry.

Although this study only analyses voluntary disclosure in the annual report for a single year (2009), it is hoped to provide a description of the voluntary disclosure in Shariah- and non–Shariah-compliant companies.

The findings might be used by regulators to set regulations that encourage the quantity and quality of disclosure practice of Shariah-compliant companies to expand the scope of disclosure related to religious activities.

This study measures voluntary disclosure using the disclosure index based on Indonesian regulations and the quantity and quality measurement of Shariah-compliant companies, which may differ from previous Indonesian studies.