Dissemination analysis of SDGs in sustainability reports to enhance corporate communication strategy

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##

Published 11-01-2024
Pilar Buil
Elena L. Sanjurjo-San Martin
José A. Alfaro-Tanco

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at the heart of the management of public and private enterprises. Organizations have incorporated the SDGs into their business strategy by developing actions that they disseminate in their reports. In the last decade, academic research has paid special attention to this development, publishing a growing number of studies on the subject with the emergence of a specific line of research in the area of sustainability: sustainability reporting. In this context, this paper aims to show a methodology that serves as a tool to analyze the disclosure of SDGs in the sustainability reports. This methodology has three stages. First, a lexicographic analysis of sustainability reports has been carried out, second, a correspondence analysis, and third, outlining through “guided questions” how the information obtained can be useful to analyze SDG communication strategy. For further illustration the methodology has been applied to a company in the Spanish agri-food sector: Ebro Foods. This work has both academic and professional implications by providing a guideline for SDG dissemination analysis in sustainability reports and, on the other hand, by providing the business world with an analysis tool that serves to improve communication strategies in the field of sustainability.

How to Cite

Buil, P., Sanjurjo-San Martin, E. L., & Alfaro-Tanco, J. A. (2024). Dissemination analysis of SDGs in sustainability reports to enhance corporate communication strategy. Cuadernos De Gestión, 24(1), 73–84. https://doi.org/10.5295/cdg.221876ja
Abstract 446 | PDF Downloads 305

##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##

Keywords

Non-financial Reporting, Sustainability Reports, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Sustainability Monitoring, Communication Strategy, Agri-food Business

References
Ackers, B., & Eccles, N.S. (2015). Mandatory corporate social responsibility assurance practices: The case of King III in South Africa. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 28(4), 515-550. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-12-2013-1554.
Adams, C. A. (2017). The Sustainable Development Goals, integrated thinking and the integrated report. Integrated Reporting (IR), 1-52.
Adams, C.A., Druckman, P.B, & Picot, R.C. (2020). Sustainable development goal disclosure (SDGD) recommendations. ACCA: London, UK.
Adams, C.A., (2020). Sustainable development goals disclosure (SDGD) recommendations: feedback on the consulta-tion responses, ACCA, IIRC, WBA.
AMEC (2023). Marco de evaluación integrada de AMEC. https://amecorg.com/amecframework/es/
Barrs, K. (2016). Using the sketch engine corpus query tool for language teaching. The Language Teaching, 40(2), 23-26.
Beattie, V., & Dhanani, A. (2008). Investigating presentational change in UK annual reports. A longitudinal perspective. Journal of Business Communication, 45(2), 181-222.
Bebbington, J., & Unerman, J. (2018). Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: An enabling role for accounting research. Accounting Auditing & Accountability Journal, 31(1), 2–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/ AA-AJ-05-2017-2929.
Benzecri, J. P. (1980). L' Analyse des Données: L' Analyse des Correspondances. (Tome 2). Dunod, París.
Brammer, S., & Pavelin, S. (2006). Voluntary environmental disclosures by large UK companies. Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, 33(7‐8), 1168-1188. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5957.2006.00598.x
Busco, C., Granà, F. & Izzo, M.F. (2018). Sustainable Development Goals and Integrated Reporting. Routledge: London, UK.
Council of European Union (2022). Available at https://www. consi-lium.europa.eu/es/press/press-releases/2022/06/21/new-rules-on-sustainability-disclosure-provisional-agreement-between-council-and-european-parliament/) (accessible december 2022).
Dawkins, J. (2004). Corporate responsibility: the communication challenge. Journal of Communication management, 9(2), 108-119. https://doi.org/10.1108/13632540510621362
De Matías, D. (2016). The Food industry internationalization process. The case of Ebro Foods. Revista de Dirección y Administración de Empresas, 23, 36-52.
De Villiers, C., & Van Staden, C.J. (2011). Where firms choose to disclose voluntary environmental information. Journal of Accounting and Public Policiy, 30(6), 504-525
Ebro Foods (2016). Informe anual de sostenibilidad del año 2016. Available in https://www.ebrofoods.es/wp-content/uploads/informe_anual/informeanual2016/pdf/2-0-informe-de-sostenibilidad.pdf (accessible December 2022)
Ebro Foods (2017). Informe anual de sostenibilidad del año 2017. Available in https://www.ebrofoods.es/wp-content/uploads/informe_anual/informeanual2017/pdf/2-0-informe-de-sostenibilidad.pdf (accessible December 2022)
Ebro Foods (2018). Informe anual de sostenibilidad del año 2018. Available in https://www.ebrofoods.es/wp-content/uploads/informe_anual/informeanual2018/pdf/2-0-informe-de-sostenibilidad.pdf (accessible December 2022)
Ebro Foods (2019). Informe anual de sostenibilidad del año 2019. Available in https://www.ebrofoods.es/wp-content/uploads/informe_anual/informeanual2019/pdf/2-0-informe-de-sostenibilidad.pdf (accessible December 2022)
Ebro Foods (2020a). Informe anual de sostenibilidad del año 2020. Available in https://www.ebrofoods.es/wp-content/uploads/informe_anual/informeanual2020/pdf/2-0-informe-de-sostenibilidad.pdf (accessible December 2022)
Ebro Foods (2020b). Política de comunicación de la compañía. Available in https://www.ebrofoods.es/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Politica-de-comunicacio%CC%81n-de-informacio%CC%81n-financiera-no-financiera-y-corporativa-2020.12.pdf (accessible December 2022)
Ebro Foods (2021). Informe anual de sostenibilidad del año 2021. Available in https://www.ebrofoods.es/wp-content/uploads/informe_anual/informeanual2021/informe-sostenible.htm (accessible December 2022)
European Parliament (2014). Directive 2014/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 22nd October 2014, amending Directive 2013/34/EU as regards disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by certain large undertakings and groups. Official Journal of the European Union. Available in https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32014L0095&from=EN (accessible December 2022)
European Parliament (2017). Communication from the Commission guidelines on non-financial reporting (2017/c215/01). Available in https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52017XC0705(01)&from=EN (accessible December 2022)
Fonseca, L., & Carvalho, F. (2019). The Reporting of SDGs by Quality, Environmental, and Occupational Health and Safety-Certified Organizations. Sustainability, 11(20). https://doi.org/10.3390/su11205797
Freeman, R.E. (1984). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Pitman.
García-Benau, M. A., Bollas-Araya, H. M., & Sierra-García, L. (2022). Non-financial reporting in Spain. The effects of the adoption of the 2014 EU Directive. Spanish Accounting Review, 25(1), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.6018/rcsar.392631.
García-Sánchez, I. M., Suárez-Fernández, O., & Martínez-Ferrero, J. (2019). Female directors and impression mana-gement in sustainability reporting. International Business Review, 28, 359-374. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2485
García-Sánchez, I. M., Rodríguez-Ariza, L., Aibar-Guzmán, B., & Aibar-Guzmán, C. (2020a). Do institutional investors drive corporate transparency regarding business contribution to the sustainable development goals? Business Strategy and the Environment, 29(5), 2019-2036. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2485
García-Sánchez, I. M., Amor-Esteban, V., & Galindo-Alvarez, D. (2020b). Communication strategies for the 2030 agenda commitments: A multivariate approach. Sustainability, 12(24), 10554. https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410554
García-Sánchez, I. M., Amor-Esteban, V. & García-Sánchez, A. (2021). Different Leaders in a COVID-19 Scenario: CEO Altruism and Generous Discourse. Sustainability, 13, 3841. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073841
García-Sánchez, I. M., Amor-Esteban, V., Aibar-Guzmán, C., & Aibar-Guzmán, B. (2022). Translating the 2030 Agenda into reality through stakeholder engagement. Sustainable Development, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2431
GRI (2018). Business reporting on the SDGs. Available in https://www.globalreporting.org/information/SDGs/Pages/Reporting-on-the-SDGs.aspx (accessible December 2022).
GRI (2019) Integrando los ODS en los informes corporativos: una guía práctica. Available in https://www.globalreporting.org/search/?query=Integrating+the+SDGs:+Practical+Guide:+Integrando+Los+ODS+En+Los+Informes+Corporativos+(Spanish) (accessible December 2022).
GRI (2020) Increased momentum for transparency. Available in https://www.globalreporting.org/about-gri/mission-history/gri-s-own-reports/ (accessible December 2022).
Grueso-Gala, M., & Camisón Zornoza, C. (2022). A bibliometric analysis of the literature on non-financial information reporting: review of the research and network visualization. Management Letters/Cuadernos de Gestión, 22(1), 175-192. https://doi.org/10.5295/cdg.211545mg
Hirata, Y., & Hirata, Y. (2019). Applying ‘Sketch Engine for Language Learning’ in the Japanese English classroom. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 31, 233-248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-019-09208-z.
Hoberg, G., & Maksimovic, V. (2015). Redefining financial constraints: A text-based analysis. Review of Financial Stu-dies, 28(5), 1312-1352. https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhu089
Hummel, K. & Rötzel, P. (2019). Mandating the Sustainability Disclosure in Annual Reports-Evidence from the United Kingdom. Schmalenbach Business Review, 71, 205-247. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41464-019-00069-8.
Hummel, K., & Szekely, M. (2022). Disclosure on the sustainable development goals-evidence from Europe. Accounting in Europe, 19(1), 152-189. https://doi.org/10.1080/17449480.2021.1894347.
Hummel, K., Mittelbach-Hörmanseder, S., Cho, C.H. & Matten, D. (2022). Corporate social responsibility disclosure: a topic-based approach. Accounting and Business Research, 1-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/00014788.2022.2071199
Izzo, M.F., Ciaburri, M., & Tiscini, R. (2020). The challenge of sustainable development goal reporting: the first evidence from italian listed companies. Sustainability, 12(8), 3494-. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083494.
Kilgarriff, A., Marcowitz, F., Smith, S., & Thomas, J. (2015). Corpora and language learning with the sketch engine and SKELL. Revue Française de Linguistique Appliquée, 20(1), 61-80.
Kornieieva, Y. (2020). Non-financial reporting challenges in monitoring SDG’s achievement: investment aspects for transition economy. International Journal of Economics and Business Administration, 8(1), 62-71. https://doi.org/10.35808/ijeba/409
KPMG. (2022). Big shifts, small steps. Survey of sustainability reporting 2022. Available in https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/insights/2022/09/survey-of-sustainability-reporting-2022.html (accessible December 2022)
López, B. (2020). Connecting business and sustainable development goals in Spain. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 39(5), 573-585. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-08-2018-0367.
Maroun, W. (2017). Assuring the integrated report: insights and recommendations from auditors and preparers. The Bristish Accounting Review, 49(3), 329-346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2017.03.003.
Martínez-Ferrero, J., & García-Meca, E. (2020). Internal corporate governance strength as a mechanism for achieving sustainable development goals. Sustainable Development, 28(5), 1189-1198. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2068.
Nichita, E.M., Nechit, E., Manea C.L., Manea, D., & Irimescu, A.M. (2020). Reporting on Sustainable Development Go-als. A score-based approach with company-level evidence form Central-Eastern Europe economies. Accounting and Management Information Systems, 19(3), 502-542. https://doi.org/10.24818/jamis.2020.03004.
Ortíz, E., & Didychuck, I. (2021). Non-financial information in IBEX 35: Comparison of voluntary vs compulsory elaboration and assurance. Intangible Capital, 17(2), 91-107. https://doi.org/10.3926/ic.1758.
Oxfam. (2018). Walking the talk: Assessing companies’ progress from SDG rhetoric to action. https://oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/handle/10546/620550/dp-walking-the-talk-business-sdgs-240918-en.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (accessible December 2022).
Pfeffermann, N. (2017). What is Innovation Communication? A dynamic capability view. In N. Pfeffermann & J. Gould (Eds), Strategy and Communication for Innovation. Integrative Perspectives on Innovation in the Digital Economy (pp. 303-315). Springer International Publishing.
Pizzi, S., Caputo, C., Corvino, A., & Venturelli, A. (2020). Management research and the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs): A bibliometric investigation and systematic review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 276, 1.15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.1240330959-6526
PWC (2019). Creating a strategy for a better world. Accessible December 2022: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/sustainability/SDG/sdg-2019.pdf
Rinaldi, L., Unerman, J., & De Villiers, C. (2018). Evaluating the integrated reporting journey: insights, gaps and agendas for future research. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 31(5), 1294-1318. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-04-2018-3446.
Rosati, F., & Faria, L.G.D. (2019a). Addressing the SDGs in sustainability reports: the relationship with institutional fac-tors. Journal of Cleaner Production, 215, 1312-1326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.12.107.
Rosati, F., & Faria, L.G.D. (2019b). Business contribution to the sustainable Development Agenda: Organizational factors related to early adoption of SDG reporting. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 26(3), 588-597. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1705.
Sierra-García, L., Bollas-Araya, H.M., & García-Benau M.A. (2022). Sustainable development goals and assurance of non-financial information reporting in Spain. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 13(4), 878-898. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-04-2021-0131.
Tsalis, T.A., Malamateniou, K.E., Koulouriotis, D., & Nikolaou, I.E. (2020). New challenges for corporate sustainability reporting: United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the sustainable development goals. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(4), 1617-1629. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1910.
UNGC (2018). Reporting on the SDGs –shape the future of corporate reporting on the SDGs. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/take-action/action/sdg-reporting (accessible December 2022).
Vallet‐Bellmunt, T., Fuertes‐Fuertes, I., & Flor, M. L. (2022). Reporting Sustainable Development Goal 12 in the Spanish food retail industry. An analysis based on Global Reporting Initiative performance indicators. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 29, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2382.
Workíva. (2021). How to manage the ESG reporting: The Ultimate Guide. https://www.workiva.com/uk/resources/how-manage-esg-reporting-ultimate-guide?utm_campaign=ESG-Solutions&utm_segment=&utm_geo=EMEA-UKI&utm_content=ESG-Solutions_sasbguidelines__17294627230_137064759499_{adid}_c&utm_term=sasb%20standards_p&utm_medium=cpc&utm_type=Paid&utm_source=Google&gclid=Cj0KCQiAm5ycBhCXARIsAPldzoUDzuKGZJVLMCt-wZrFIi1wcq9Pn7gbE7Tmi7HETz83e6ogvYGDMKoaAsEnEALw_wcB (accessible December 2022)
Yamane, T., & Kaneko, S. (2021). Impact of raising awareness of sustainable development goals: A survey experiment eliciting stakeholder preferences for corporate behavior. Journal of Cleaner Production, 285, 125291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125291
Section
Articles