Login | Register

Three Essays on Corporate Environmental Disclosures and Environmental Performance

Title:

Three Essays on Corporate Environmental Disclosures and Environmental Performance

Tadros, Hani (2014) Three Essays on Corporate Environmental Disclosures and Environmental Performance. PhD thesis, Concordia University.

[thumbnail of Tadros_PhD_S2015.pdf]
Preview
Text (application/pdf)
Tadros_PhD_S2015.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Spectrum Terms of Access.
2MB

Abstract

The objective of this dissertation is to study the incentives of firms to disclose their environmental information and examine the reliability of the information disclosed. To achieve this objective, there is a need to first understand what constitutes environmental disclosures. The first essay, a review of prior disclosure studies, provides a classification of the different types of environmental disclosures and a synopsis about the motivation to disclose each type of information, the reliability and the relevance of the information disclosed to different stakeholders. The outcome of this research shows that many types of environmental information are relevant to the financial and non-financial stakeholders; however, there are still other types of information that needs to be researched to finally achieve a comprehensive framework of environmental disclosures.
The second essay examines the association between environmental disclosures and firms’ environmental performances. The study provides a framework to explain the disclosure process demonstrating the effect of economic and legitimacy factors, environmental performance, and the media communicating these disclosures on the amount and type of information reported. The results suggest that environmental reporting is biased; where firms with higher levels of environmental performance disclose more voluntary information while firms with low-environmental performance tend to meet the mandatory disclosure requirements. There is little evidence to suggest that firms with low-environmental performances use their environmental disclosures to maintain the legitimacy of their environmental operations.
The third essay examines the reliability of environmental performance indicators disclosed. The results suggest that the reporting of firms’ EPIs might be free of bias as the study finds no association between the information disclosed and firms’ environmental performance.
In general, the dissertation provides assurances over the reliability of environmental information disclosed. There is no denial that firms are subject to pressures from non-financial stakeholders to justify the impact of their operations on the environment. This dissertation shows that firms attempt to use their environmental disclosures to mitigate the effects of these pressures; however, it also suggests that the need to legitimize their operations is not the main driver behind the reporting of environmental information.

Divisions:Concordia University > John Molson School of Business > Accountancy
Item Type:Thesis (PhD)
Authors:Tadros, Hani
Institution:Concordia University
Degree Name:Ph. D.
Program:Business Administration (Accountancy specialization)
Date:11 December 2014
Thesis Supervisor(s):Magnan, Michel
Keywords:Environmental, disclosure, performance, legitimacy, economic, EPI
ID Code:980045
Deposited By: HANI SAMIR SOBH TADROS
Deposited On:16 Jul 2015 12:43
Last Modified:18 Jan 2018 17:50
All items in Spectrum are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved. The use of items is governed by Spectrum's terms of access.

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Downloads per month over past year

Research related to the current document (at the CORE website)
- Research related to the current document (at the CORE website)
Back to top Back to top