Question

Provide a detailed explanation of empirical research on corporate in relation to disclosure on environmental and/or climate change information.

Answer 1

For this purpose, we have undertaken a content analysis of annual reports related to the year 2008 and websites of the 100 largest companies (according to market capitalization) listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange. We have used 24 content analysis categories to capture the relevant disclosures related to climate change and other environmental issues. Findings – Key findings of our analysis suggest that the level of environmental and climate change disclosures is very low in Bangladesh. Although 91% of companies made disclosures in at least one category, most companies disclosed information only on the “energy usage” category, which is a mandatory requirement. Even fewer companies made disclosures in the specific areas of climate change. No disclosure was made in the significant categories such as GHG emissions. The second most popular category related to climate change was adaptation measures. Among the other environmental disclosures, a significant finding is that only 5% of (website 6%) companies disclosed that they had an effluent treatment plant. Closer examination of the nature of disclosures suggests that most of the disclosures are positive and descriptive in nature. Originality/value – As far as we are aware, this is the first study of its kind in Bangladesh which systematically examines corporate climate change disclosures as a particular focus of research.

One of the recent developments in the arena of social and environmental accounting is the issue of climate change
and global warming. Global warming as an international environmental issue is getting ample importance from the
part of the different stakeholders. Climate change and global warming, in many ways, are having adverse effect on the
environment and humankind. Industrial pollution is considered as one of the main causes of global warming. Media,
global leaders, environmentalists, customers, investors and the other stakeholders are considering this issue seriously.
That is why, these days, companies face a lot of challenges in order to prove that they are careful about the
environmental pollution and are performing in a responsible manner in this context. Because of this, many companies throughout the world are disclosing about their views and activities related to global warming issues in their annual
reports. It is expected that these reporting will enhance their legitimacy in the eyes of the society. As a new trend in
the corporate environmental reporting, this kind of reporting has introduced some new terms, jargons and discourses.
This article focuses on this issue. The objective of this research is to conduct a discourse analysis of the corporate
reporting of Malaysian companies on climate change and global warming issues. Through a content analysis of the
annual reports of 79 companies listed in Bursa Malaysia, the paper attempts to highlights the Global Warming
discourses and their dominant characteristics.