Corporate Accountability and Triple Bottom Line Reporting: Determining the Material Issues for Disclosure

Abstract

The growth and interest in corporate accountability issues has in part stemmed from recurring examples of corporate irresponsibility. Voluntary efforts, have to date, been the overwhelming modus operandi chosen to ensure that companies assume appropriate responsibility and transparency for various human rights and environmental obligations. But such voluntary efforts can serve as precursors to binding formal rules and the emerging public reporting requirements of companies in select jurisdictions - mandating variations of triple bottom line reporting - indicate a willingness of some regulatory agencies to adopt a more expansive modern view of what issues are considered material to a corporation's short and long term performance. However the principal issues of to whom and 'social' issues should be reported on are still far from resolved. The implementation and enforcement of these reporting requirements in the coming years will be a key indicator of the mainstreaming of the corporate responsibility agenda.

Keywords: corporate accountability, corporate responsibility, stakeholder, corporate transparency, triple bottom line reporting