Corporate Characteristics and Sustainability Disclosure in Bangladesh: An Analytical Study Based on Global Reporting Initiative Guideline 4

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of the research is to examine the level of compliance of sustainability disclosure as per GRI G4 framework and the influence of corporate characteristics on sustainability disclosure of listed companies in Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 175 listed companies drawn from the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) listed companies using purposive sampling from different categories and data collected from the annual reports of 2018 through content analysis. The hypotheses were tested using ordinary least square regression (OLS).
Findings – Statistical results witness that the sustainability disclosure index (SDI) is inferior (12.19) with a high deviation (SD 9.61). This study also documents that industry membership, ISO certification, multi-nationality, and board size are positively associated with sustainability disclosure at a five per cent level. Still, the company category is negatively associated with sustainability disclosure at a six per cent level. This paper also found that sustainability disclosure is not likely to be significantly influenced by age, profitability, and leverage.
Research limitations/implications – The research used content analysis to measure quantity ignoring the quality of sustainability disclosure based on GRI G4 guidelines from the company’s only one-year published annual report.
Practical implications – The research adds value to the sustainability disclosure literature and provides a message to the policy planners and practising authorities.
Originality/value – This is one of the pioneer studies using GRI G4 guidelines to measure the extent of sustainability disclosure and examine the influence of corporate characteristics on sustainability reporting in Bangladesh, considered a developing nation with an emerging economy.