Trends in integrated reporting by JSE listed companies: an analysis of the integration of financial performance with corporate governance disclosures and economic, social and environmental sustainability reporting

Date
2015
Authors
Mashile, Nkabaneng Tebogo
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Abstract
With changes in international governance trends leaning towards integrated reporting, and the inclusion of good governance practices in the Companies Act No. 71 of 2008, it has become imperative for companies to embrace integrated reporting in order to be, and also be seen to be, responsible with regard to social, environmental and economic issues. The purpose of this report is to investigate the trends in the extent of integrated reporting by companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The report sought to investigate compliance with the recommendations of the King Report and Code of Governance Principles for South Africa 2009 (King III) by companies listed on the JSE. The report assesses the extent of reporting and disclosures made by companies in relation to the specific recommendations contained in the various chapters of King III since the inclusion of King III in the JSE listing requirements for financial years beginning on or after 1 March 2010. The report also assesses the extent of economic, social and environmental sustainability reporting as required by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines. The annual integrated reports of fifty-two companies listed under the various sectors of the JSE were examined to determine whether there had been significant changes in the specific disclosures provided by these companies, as recommended by King III, from 2010 to 2012. The key findings of the study show that although there has been an increase in the level of disclosure by companies, this change was not significant over the three-year period. The results also show that much improvement is needed in disclosures relating specifically to the new King III sections of risk management, compliance management and IT governance. Key words: corporate governance, disclosure, financial performance, integrated reporting, non-financial information, sustainability
Description
Thesis M.Com. (Accounting)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, 2015
Keywords
Corporate governance, Disclosure, Financial performance, Integrated reporting, Sustainability, Non-financial information
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