ENVIRONMENTAL DISCLOSURES IN COMPANY ANNUAL REPORTS

REPORT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DISCLOSURES IN COMPANY ANNUAL REPORTS

1. INTRODUCTION
Although a broad topic to analyse, the disclosure of environmental and other social information by Australian companies has been criticised for its apparent lack of and reluctance of companies to account for their ‘social activities’ (Henderson & Peirson 2002). To further expand on this, Henderson and Peirson (2002, p.919) refer to social activities as the ‘impact of a companies activities on the welfare of society’.

It should also be recognised, that although traditionally companies were concerned with only the financial perspective of creating wealth for their shareholders, they are now extending their responsibility to a wider group of stakeholders including employees, customers and local communities (Deegan, Geddes & Staunton 1996). It is therefore the contention of this report to recognise the environmental and social disclosures found in three different Australian pub...