Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka skillnaden i hållbarhetsredovisningens väsentlighet över tid innan hållbarhetsredovisning var obligatorisk (2013) och efter att den blev obligatorisk (2020). De tio valda hållbarhetsredovisningarna återfinns bland de fem största företagen i den svenska skogsindustrin. Den teoretiska ram som valts för att undersöka denna studie är legitimitetsteorin och intressentteorin. För att utforska rapporterna har vi använt oss av innehållsanalys med kategorisering. Kategoriseringen baseras på obligatorisk information och icke-obligatorisk information, baserad på CSR-terminologi. Resultatet presenteras som procentandelen av den totala rapporten. En kvalitativ metod användes för att tolka resultatet och analysera andelen väsentlig information i rapporterna. Resultatet av denna studie indikerar att en del av informationen har ökat och annan information har minskat i omfattning sedan lagstiftningen. Det innebär också att det är avgörande att företag använder riktlinjer för att sammanställa en hållbarhetsrapport. Studien indikerar också att företagen bedömde samma områden som väsentliga under samma jämförda år. / The aim of this study is to explore the difference in the materiality of sustainability reports over time, before sustainability reporting was mandatory (in 2013) and during (in 2020). The ten sustainability reports analyzed are found among the five biggest companies in the Swedish forest industry. The theoretical framework chosen to investigate this study is the Legitimacy Theory and the Stakeholder Theory. To explore the reports, we have used Content analysis with categorization. The categorization is based on mandatory information and non-mandatory information, based on CSR terminology. The result is presented as a percentage share of the total report. A qualitative approach was used in order to interpret the result and analyze the share of material information in the reports. The result of this study indicates that some of the information has increased, and other information has decreased since the law regulation. It also implies that it is crucial that companies use guidelines in order to assemble a sustainability report. The study also indicates that the companies assessed the same areas as material during the same compared years.

South Africa is facing a water crisis in terms of the scarcity and the quality of its water. Considering this water-constrained future it is evident that companies in South Africa should pay attention to the pristine management of this scarce resource. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reporting and disclosure requirements of water of Socially Responsible Investment-indexed (SRI) JSE-listed companies. The disclosure requirements of the integrated report, King III, the Global Reporting Initiative and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, provided the theoretical background to develop a water disclosure index. Content analysis was used as the research method to analyse the integrated and sustainability reports of a selected group of SRI indexed JSE-listed companies. The results were analysed in terms of the disclosure on items such as materiality, governance, corporate policies, environmental management systems, risk assessments and key performance indicators. The findings of the study include that most of the companies illustrate commitment towards water stewardship by reporting on water-related aspects. The mining sector rated the highest on disclosure and reporting of water-related aspects by providing the most detailed descriptions by indicating that they clearly understand the context of their operations and the associated risks. In the process of analysing the integrated and sustainability reports with specific reference to the key performance indicators, it was evident that companies lack comparability and consistency in their disclosure. It is recommended that companies improve the relevance, depth and clarity of their disclosure on water. / MCom (Management Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Climate change is undoubtedly a serious challenge facing the world today, and as a result the preservation of the environment is at the top of the agenda for the international community and national governments. Integrated reporting is a global phenomenon driven by the necessity for better information for shareholders and stakeholders. Sustainability reports in South Africa have gained momentum since King III was released in 2009. The purpose of this study is to determine if Ferroalloy manufacturers disclose their carbon emissions in their integrated reports. A literature study was done and content analysis was used to analyse the integrated reports of Ferroalloy manufacturers. On average the integrated reports of Ferroalloy manufacturers comply 41% according to GRI requirements. Governance related points measured complied on average 51%, while internal standards measured 71%. 86% of organisations make use of external standards to report their emissions on. Direct emissions obtained on average 42% as per GRI G4 requirements, while indirect emissions obtained a score of 50%. Emissions that may occur as a result of the usage of organisations products were reported on at only 11% according to the GRI G4 requirements. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In the past, activities of business were motivated exclusively by the desire to maximize their financial returns and the aim of corporate reports was to provide information about the cash flow, financial position and financial performance of an entity. However, over the past decade, increased awareness of developing accounting-style metrics for nonfinancial business influences has led companies from being profit-driven to taking the triple bottom line approach of incorporating economic, environmental and social values into corporate measures of success. Sustainable enterprises should have honest and full accounting of the impact of its actions and start with a vision that goes beyond producing profits for investors to creating social, economic and cultural value for a wider community of stakeholders. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has published guidelines for sustainability reporting (entitled 'Sustainability Reporting Guidelines') and is seen as the leading standard for voluntary corporate reporting of environmental and social performance by companies and other organizations worldwide. The Sustainability Reporting Guidelines includes Reporting Principles, Standard Disclosures and an Implementation Manual for the preparation of sustainability reports. Given the significance of the financial-services industry in South Africa, this dissertation reflects on the quality of integrated reporting of the financial-services industry by determining the extent to which sustainability reports of financial companies adhere to the GRI Guidelines and the Sector Supplements for Financial Services. An applied, quantitative and descriptive methodology was used to answer the research questions. Using a sample of 10 of the financial-services companies included in the JSE Top 40 companies, the results show that these companies use the GRI Guidelines in producing their sustainability report and that adherence improves annually. Some companies, however, do not apply the Sector Supplements which were designed to include industry-specific influences. / MCom (Management Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

South Africa is facing a water crisis in terms of the scarcity and the quality of its water. Considering this water-constrained future it is evident that companies in South Africa should pay attention to the pristine management of this scarce resource. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reporting and disclosure requirements of water of Socially Responsible Investment-indexed (SRI) JSE-listed companies. The disclosure requirements of the integrated report, King III, the Global Reporting Initiative and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, provided the theoretical background to develop a water disclosure index. Content analysis was used as the research method to analyse the integrated and sustainability reports of a selected group of SRI indexed JSE-listed companies. The results were analysed in terms of the disclosure on items such as materiality, governance, corporate policies, environmental management systems, risk assessments and key performance indicators. The findings of the study include that most of the companies illustrate commitment towards water stewardship by reporting on water-related aspects. The mining sector rated the highest on disclosure and reporting of water-related aspects by providing the most detailed descriptions by indicating that they clearly understand the context of their operations and the associated risks. In the process of analysing the integrated and sustainability reports with specific reference to the key performance indicators, it was evident that companies lack comparability and consistency in their disclosure. It is recommended that companies improve the relevance, depth and clarity of their disclosure on water. / MCom (Management Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Climate change is undoubtedly a serious challenge facing the world today, and as a result the preservation of the environment is at the top of the agenda for the international community and national governments. Integrated reporting is a global phenomenon driven by the necessity for better information for shareholders and stakeholders. Sustainability reports in South Africa have gained momentum since King III was released in 2009. The purpose of this study is to determine if Ferroalloy manufacturers disclose their carbon emissions in their integrated reports. A literature study was done and content analysis was used to analyse the integrated reports of Ferroalloy manufacturers. On average the integrated reports of Ferroalloy manufacturers comply 41% according to GRI requirements. Governance related points measured complied on average 51%, while internal standards measured 71%. 86% of organisations make use of external standards to report their emissions on. Direct emissions obtained on average 42% as per GRI G4 requirements, while indirect emissions obtained a score of 50%. Emissions that may occur as a result of the usage of organisations products were reported on at only 11% according to the GRI G4 requirements. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

In the past, activities of business were motivated exclusively by the desire to maximize their financial returns and the aim of corporate reports was to provide information about the cash flow, financial position and financial performance of an entity. However, over the past decade, increased awareness of developing accounting-style metrics for nonfinancial business influences has led companies from being profit-driven to taking the triple bottom line approach of incorporating economic, environmental and social values into corporate measures of success. Sustainable enterprises should have honest and full accounting of the impact of its actions and start with a vision that goes beyond producing profits for investors to creating social, economic and cultural value for a wider community of stakeholders. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has published guidelines for sustainability reporting (entitled 'Sustainability Reporting Guidelines') and is seen as the leading standard for voluntary corporate reporting of environmental and social performance by companies and other organizations worldwide. The Sustainability Reporting Guidelines includes Reporting Principles, Standard Disclosures and an Implementation Manual for the preparation of sustainability reports. Given the significance of the financial-services industry in South Africa, this dissertation reflects on the quality of integrated reporting of the financial-services industry by determining the extent to which sustainability reports of financial companies adhere to the GRI Guidelines and the Sector Supplements for Financial Services. An applied, quantitative and descriptive methodology was used to answer the research questions. Using a sample of 10 of the financial-services companies included in the JSE Top 40 companies, the results show that these companies use the GRI Guidelines in producing their sustainability report and that adherence improves annually. Some companies, however, do not apply the Sector Supplements which were designed to include industry-specific influences. / MCom (Management Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Vi lever i ett samhälle där arbete för en hållbar utveckling uppmärksammas allt mer. Företag kan påverka samhället och miljön omkring dem både positivt och negativt. Genom en hållbarhetsredovisning kan företagen att redovisa sin påverkan på sin omgivning. En hållbarhetsredovisning är en sammanställning över företagets ekonomiska, miljömässiga och sociala effekter. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) är en organisation och de tillhandahåller världens mest använda riktlinjer för upprättandet av hållbarhetsredovisningar. Uppsatsens syfte är att skapa en djupare förståelse för om GRI:s riktlinjer för upprättandet av hållbarhetsredovisningar bidrar till hållbar utveckling i företagen. Den teoretiska referensramen innehåller relevanta teorier och begrepp som förklarar varför företag upprättar hållbarhetsredovisningar, samt en sammanfattning av GRI:s riktlinjer. För att besvara uppsatsens syfte och frågeställningar har kvalitativa semistrukturerade telefonintervjuer använts för att samla in data. I urvalet av respondenter har vi använt oss av ett målstyrt urval och kontaktat den person som är ansvarig för hållbarhetsrelaterade frågor och/eller upprättandet av hållbarhetsredovisningen i respektive företag. Alla tillfrågade företagen upprättar sin hållbarhetsredovisning enligt de senaste riktlinjerna utgivna av GRI. Data som samlats in har analyserats med hjälp av tidigare forskning och teorierna i den teoretiska referensramen. Slutsatsen visar att GRI:s riktlinjer kan vara komplicerade att använda i företag som är verksamma inom andra branscher än tillverkningsbranschen men att riktlinjerna bidrar till hållbar utveckling i företagen.

<p>Vi ämnar undersöka hur informationen om CSR i årsredovisningar har förändrats sedan 1995. Syftet är att se hur informationen har utvecklats över tid, vilka nyanser som har funnits samt vilka intressenters informationskrav som har tillgodosetts.</p><p>Studien omfattar en innehållsanalys av årsredovisningar. Analysen har gjorts efter en checklista som bygger på indikatorer och principer från GRI. Årsredovisningar från fem svenska företag har granskats i ett tre års intervall mellan 1995 och 2007.</p><p>Mängden CSR-information i årsredovisningar har ökat stadigt sedan 1995. Fram till 2001 redovisades i princip ingen information kring mänskliga rättigheter, företagets inverkan på samhället eller ekonomiska konsekvenser av CSR. Anställda, kunder och icke-statliga organisationer är de intressenter som främst fått sitt informationsbehov tillfredsställt medan leverantörer i princip inte hittat någon relevant information innan 2007.</p>

<p>ÄMNE</p><p>Vilken information om Corporate Social Responsibility lämnas i årsredovisningen av svenska företag? Hur följer företagen riktlinjerna Global Reporting Initiative och UN Global Compact? Vilka motiv kan företagen ha för att lämna information om CSR i årsredovisningen?</p><p>SYFTE</p><p>Syftet är att rekapitulera studien ”Corporate Social Responsibility - vilken information lämnas i årsredovisningen av företagen på Stockholmsbörsens A-lista”, Göteborgs Universitet 2005, genom att kartlägga och jämföra CSR-redovisningen hos de företag från den dåvarande A- listan som idag är noterade på Stockholmsbörsen. Utifrån en utarbetad checklista skall undersökas vilken information som företag lämnar samt vilka skillnader som finns mellan företag och över tiden.</p><p>GENOMFÖRANDE</p><p>Undersökningen bygger på kvantitativ och kvalitativ innehållsanalys av årsredovisningar. Årsredovisningarna har analyserats efter en utarbetad checklista som bygger på indikatorer och principer från GRI och UN Global Compact.</p><p>SLUTSATSER</p><p>Studien visar att det råder stora skillnader mellan företag och den mängd CSR-information de publicerar i sin årsredovisning. Sedan 2004 har en svag ökning skett av mängden information som redovisas, denna ökning återfinns främst inom branschen industri.</p><p>NYCKELORD</p><p>Corporate Social Responsibility, Global Reporting Initiative, UN Global Compact, årsredovisning</p>