Corporate Sustainability Reporting and its Impact on Communication and Promotion of Sustainable Development
Corporate Sustainability Reporting and its Impact on Communication and Promotion of Sustainable Development

Summary/Abstract: The focus of this paper is on the link between sociology of sustainability and non-financial corporate sustainability reporting (as defined by EU Directives). The aim is to analyse and show to what extent corporate sustainability reporting adds value to the communication and promotion of social change towards sustainable development. Тhe article is based on empirical data collected in the course of the author’s sociological research conducted in the period 22 April - 19 May 2023 on 51 companies in Bulgaria, using the semi-standardised online interview method. We firstly postulate a sociology of sustainability, defined as a middle-range theory in the sense of R. Merton (1957; 1968). Secondly, we describe corporate sustainability reporting as defined in the EU. We discuss the nature of sustainability reporting by companies, its strengths and weaknesses, and its relation to sociology. Thirdly, we show how a sociology of sustainability can be used effectively for the empirical study of corporate sustainability and outline a research agenda that includes specific research directions and research hypotheses on corporate sustanibility reporting. Fourthly, we point out how the regulatory hypothesis can be operationalised and ultimately examined - accepted or rejected in specific empirical studies. We conclude by pointing to the heuristic power of sociology of sustainability, its ability to work interdisciplinarily and have an inclusive effect in communicating and promoting sustainable societal development. Empirical evidence has comprehensively clarified the importance of the regulatory framework and the availability of resources with regard to how companies approach sustainability in their corporate reports. The hypothesis that enforcement and regulation are a possible tool for sensitising companies to sustainability development goals was confirmed. At the same time, it is shown that the currently existing variety of guidelines and standards tends to hinder corporate management; i.e., over-regulation of sustainability reporting is not a solution.

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