GRI Reporting -A study of Listed Companies' GRI Reporting on Corruption

摘要

Background and Problem: Earlier studies have indicated discrepancies regarding companies’ ability toreport in line with the GRI guidelines. Also, corruption has become a prominent managerial issue tohandle, thus it is of interest to investigate whether a company’s context regarding media exposure,company’s locations of operations, and business industry, is reflected in the corruption disclosures.Purpose: The aim is to assess whether large companies listed on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm meet theguidelines of reporting in accordance with the GRI G3.1 guidelines regarding corruption. The outcome ofthe evaluation is compared with the findings of media exposure and put in relation to companies’locations of operations and business industry.Methodology: Ten large companies listed on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm were selected in order to assessthe disclosures on corruption according to the G3.1 guidelines. This was accomplished by constructingtwo evaluation systems. Two indices made by Transparency International were used in order to identifyhigh‐risk countries and high‐risk industries. News articles concerning media exposure were collectedthrough databases of national and international press.Analysis and Conclusions: The thesis found that there is a lack of completeness of disclosures oncorruption amongst the investigated companies, and that several companies embellish their ownassessment of fulfilment of GRI’s indicators. The included companies meet the guidelines to variedextent, which indicates there is room for more detailed and expanded corruption reporting amongstsome companies. Issues of materiality or external pressure, such as media and stakeholders, explain theobserved differences in reporting of corruption.