Does good integrated reporting improve corporate social responsibility?

Purpose – This paper assesses whether firms which produce exemplary integrated reporting () demonstrate higher levels of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), or indeed whether firms with higher rated CSR produce more exemplary . Theoretically, one might expect firms which are attuned to the wider expectations of corporate responsibility might be better able to report on their activities to their stakeholders. Equally, those firms who demonstrate clarity of purpose in their might be expected to have higher CSR scores. Design/methodology/approach – Studying 119 firms worldwide recognised for their excellent , the number of accolades awarded was estimated against their CSR ratings over six years from 2010-2015. The reverse relationship was also explored, together with regressions using the determinants of the CSR score; environmental, social and governance. Findings – There appears to be no correlation between companies producing exemplary and their CSR ratings; nor indeed the reverse. However, there was some evidence that firms producing exemplary have higher governance scores and in turn, higher governance scores appear linked to more exemplary . There were no findings for the other two determinants of CSR (environmental and social). Research implications/ limitations – This paper is the first to consider whether there is a link between exemplary and highly rated CSR. Given the relative low numbers of firms using the results may lack generalisability. However, the results suggest that high levels of CSR may not be a prerequisite for excellent , nor does producing exemplary result in a higher CSR score.

Purpose – This paper assesses whether firms which produce exemplary integrated reporting (<IR>) demonstrate higher levels of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), or indeed whether firms with higher rated CSR produce more exemplary <IR>. Theoretically, one might expect firms which are attuned to the wider expectations of corporate responsibility might be better able to report on their activities to their stakeholders. Equally, those firms who demonstrate clarity of purpose in their <IR> might be expected to have higher CSR scores.
Design/methodology/approach – Studying 119 firms worldwide recognised for their excellent <IR>, the number of accolades awarded was estimated against their CSR ratings over six years from 2010-2015. The reverse relationship was also explored, together with regressions using the determinants of the CSR score; environmental, social and governance.
Findings – There appears to be no correlation between companies producing exemplary <IR> and their CSR ratings; nor indeed the reverse. However, there was some evidence that firms producing exemplary <IR> have higher governance scores and in turn, higher governance scores appear linked to more exemplary <IR>. There were no findings for the other two determinants of CSR (environmental and social).
Research implications/ limitations – This paper is the first to consider whether there is a link between exemplary <IR> and highly rated CSR. Given the relative low numbers of firms using <IR> the results may lack generalisability. However, the results suggest that high levels of CSR may not be a prerequisite for excellent <IR>, nor does producing exemplary <IR> result in a higher CSR score.