Volume 28 Number 3, 2023

Sustainability Gains through Enhanced Reporting Requirements

Gregory S. Kordecki^a, Dustin M. Grant^b
a Department of Accounting, Clayton State University
gregkordecki@clayton.edu
^b Department of Accounting & Finance, University of West Florida
mgrant@uwf.edu

ABSTRACT

The United States lags behind other developed countries in sustainability reporting by individual companies. Based upon the premise that the best way to report on sustainability is to have holistic data including appropriate disclosure and assurance presented in a report integrated with financial information, the research suggests the prime location for this integration is in the annual financial statements and attested to by independent Certified Public Accountants. This paper describes problems that impede the United States and its capital markets from developing useful integrated reports. The research further examines the evidential trends in increased stockholder activism and proposed regulatory mandates for climate sustainability disclosure and assurance packaged with the financial information critical to the economic performance and going concerns of commercial entities. Society as a whole will achieve healthier progress with the full disclosure of sustainability integrated with financial statements and the rendering of professional assurance.

JEL Classification: G30, H00, M14, M41, Q56

Keywords: climate change reporting, integrated reporting, international sustainability standards board (ISSB), sustainability assurance, sustainability disclosure

Cite this article: 

Kordecki, G.S., Grant, D.M., 2023, Sustainability Gains through Enhanced Reporting Requirements, International Journal of Business, 28(3), 001. https://doi.org/10.55802/IJB.028(3).001