Impact of Corporate Governance on Sustainability Reporting: Empirical Study in the Australian Resources Industry

Abstract

This empirical study evaluates the impact of corporate governance on sustainability reporting by investigating companies operating in the Australia’s resources industry. Specifically, this study investigates the relationships between the total disclosures and, separately, the three aspects of sustainability disclosures - economic, environmental and social - and various attributes of board composition, including independent directors, multiple directorship, and women directors. Significant positive correlations were found between sustainability disclosures and the proportion of independent directors, multiple directorships and women directors on the board. Companies without CEO duality and those with a sustainability committee disclosed more sustainability information. These results provide empirical evidence to support that companies with greater board diversity that promotes more effective corporate governance are providing greater extent of sustainability disclosures.

Keywords: Corporate governance, Sustainability reporting, Resources industry, Australia, Hard and soft disclosures

JEL Classification: G34,M14, M41