Corporate social reporting by Anglo
Date
2011-04-18
Authors
Duggan, Bronwen
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Abstract
The legitimacy theory for corporate social and environmental reporting is
gaining support due to tests performed on companies operating in many firstworld
countries, however little or no research has been conducted in developing
countries. This study tests the legitimacy theory for corporate social and
environmental reporting within the South African context, using Anglo Platinum
Limited as the case study.
The extent and type of social and environmental reporting by Anglo Platinum
Limited within their annual reports (business and sustainability volumes) were
examined using content analysis for the period 2004 to 2008 and correlated
with media attention over the same period. Both data sets were obtained via the
internet. Generally, it was observed that Anglo Platinum Limited reporting levels
were highly variable over the period, although environmental management was
consistently the dominant theme followed by employee health and safety and
community involvement. The review of media articles identified an increase in
total media attention over the period of study, with most of the articles focussing
on human resource issues followed by references to BEE deals and the
conversion of mining rights. The media articles referring to community
involvement issues dealt mostly with the various lawsuits filed by ActionAid
attorney Richard Spoor on behalf of communities surrounding the
Mogalakwena Mine.
The Spearman’s rank correlation tests performed on the data found no
significant correlation between the reporting by Anglo Platinum Limited and the
levels of print media attention. Therefore, this test did not find evidence to
support the legitimacy theory for corporate social and environmental reporting
within the South African context
Description
MBA - WBS
Keywords
Corporate social reporting, Platinum mines, South Africa