RT Journal Article
T1 Assurance of corporate social responsibility reports: Does it reduce decoupling practices?
A1 García Sánchez, Isabel María
A1 Hussain, Nazim
A1 Aibar Guzmán, Cristina
A1 Aibar Guzmán, Beatriz
K1 CSR assurance
K1 CSR decoupling
K1 GRI guidelines
K1 Legitimacy theory
K1 Reporting quality
AB Recent research shows the existence of a selective corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure strategy that creates a gap between CSR disclosure and actual performance. These CSR decoupling practices compromise the credibility of CSR reports and have triggered a demand for the adoption of credibility enhancement mechanisms, such as adherence to the global reporting initiative (GRI) reporting guidelines, and the external assurance of CSR reports. The effectiveness of such mechanisms is not clear, however. This paper draws on legitimacy theory and addresses the issue of symbolic versus substantive use of assurance, and compliance with GRI reporting standards, by analysing their effect on CSR decoupling using an international sample of 1,939 companies (15,219 observations from 2002 to 2017). Analysis of a sub-sample of 708 firms (3,730 observations from 2011 to 2017) also shows that the application of GRI guidelines and the specific characteristics of the assurance provider—accountant, experience and specialisation—reduce CSR decoupling practices. The results provide researchers, managers, assurance providers, investors, stakeholders and regulators with additional insight into the value of the external assurance of sustainability reports and have important managerial and policy implications.
PB Wiley
YR 2022
FD 2022
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10347/42246
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10347/42246
LA eng
NO García‐Sánchez, I. M., Hussain, N., Aibar‐Guzmán, C., & Aibar‐Guzmán, B. (2022). Assurance of corporate social responsibility reports: Does it reduce decoupling practices?. Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, 31(1), 118-138.  https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12394
NO Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (Grant/Award No. RTI2018-093423-B-I00); Universidad de Salamanca (Grant/Award No. USAL2017-DISAQ) and Junta de Castilla y León y Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (Grant/Award No. CLU-2019-03 Unidad de Excelencia “Gestión Económica para la Sostenibilidad” [GECOS])
DS Minerva
RD 30 abr 2026