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| Author: | Holder-Webb, L. (et al.) |
| Title: | The supply of corporate social responsibility disclosures among U.S. firms |
| Journal: | Journal of Business Ethics
2009 : FEB II, VOL. 84:4, p. 497-527 |
| Index terms: | corporate responsibility social responsibility reporting information disclosure companies USA |
| Freeterms: | CSR |
| Language: | eng |
| Abstract: | For managers and academics, corporate social responsibility (CSR) (for 'social responsibility as: SR) is an expanding area of activity. Consumers demand for more responsibly produced and more fair trade goods, which causes increased demands for CSR information and activity. Also, investors choosing SR investment strategies require access to information not provided through traditional financial statements and analyses. This study explores the CSR disclosure practices of a size- and industry-stratified sample of 50 publicly traded U.S. firms. A content analysis is performed on the complete public information portfolio offered by these firms during 2004. There was CSR activity disclosed by most sample firms. It was included in nearly half of public disclosures made in 2004. Especially important areas are community matters, health and safety, diversity and human resources (HR) matters, and environmental programs etc. There are identified industry effects in terms of content, emphasis, and reporting format choices. Yet, there is only mixed evidence on the existence of a size effect. The disclosure frequency and emphasis is significantly different for the largest 1/5 of the firms. However, there are identifiable size effects as to reporting format choice. Use of websites is positively related to firm size. There is a generally self-laudatory tone in the content of CSR disclosures for the sample firms. |
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