An Evaluation of Management Perspectives of Sustainability Reporting in the Nigerian Oil Industry

Abstract

Purpose: This article investigates the perspectives of managers involved in sustainability reporting in the Nigerian oil industry.

Design/Methodology: The article adopts a survey methodology in its approach to conduct this investigation. The survey employed a structured interview to investigate five themes built around the motivation for sustainability reporting within these organizations, hierarchical responsibility for sustainability reporting, the organizations objectives relative to the welfare of the people within the communities it operates in, policies in place to rejuvenate the damaged environment resulting from it’s operations and finally how sufficient in monetary terms is the company’s effort to wipe out its operational footprint.

Findings: The data gathered was analysed qualitatively under these various themes. The general view emerging amongst the vast majority of the managers interviewed was that oil companies operating within the region have a key social responsibility and disclosure role to play but that it remains the role of the Nigerian Federal Government to provide the institutional framework around which the development of the region is to be hinged.

Research Implications: More research is required in the area of CSR and CSD in developing/emerging markets to understand the link between weak institutional frameworks and voluntary CSR and CSD.

Originality/Value: This article contributes to CSR and CSD literature in broad terms and in specific terms to the literature on sustainable operations in developing/emerging markets. The originality is based on the fact that it explores manager’s perspectives in a developing/emerging market.

Keywords: Legitimacy theory, Sustainability, CSR, CSD, Environment, Community