Abstract
This chapter examines the roles of investment and sustainability reporting in the shaping of social responsibility in South Korea. It begins with the understanding that corporate sustainability reporting provides unique insights into the articulation of ethical corporate practices and, ultimately, standards of firm-level ethical life. Through an examination of engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 205 sustainability reports for 41 companies between 2015 and 2019, this chapter provides three major contributions. First, this chapter finds that disclosure for SDG-linked Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) metrics was just 25.9% in 2019, which is generally consistent with global data. However, this may be understated, as this study utilized more stringent criteria to avoid greenwashing and ESG-washing concerns. Second, this study finds noticeable improvement in the quality of sustainability reporting during the period of analysis. Average corporate disclosure for SDG-linked metrics increased every year, from a low of 11.7% in 2015 to a high of 25.9% in 2019. Third, an analysis of sustainability reports suggests that the application of the SDGs has expanded from a more limited role in framing corporate philanthropy and corporate social responsibility to actively shaping and measuring ethical management practices. This includes greater disclosure on the philosophy behind sustainability engagement.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | East Asian Ethical Life and Socio-Economic Transformation in the Twenty-First Century |
Subtitle of host publication | The Ethical Sources of the Entrepreneurial Renewal of Companies and Communities |
Publisher | Taylor and Francis |
Pages | 209-231 |
Number of pages | 23 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781040051030 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781032484983 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Jan 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2024 selection and editorial matter, Susan Rose-Ackerman; individual chapters, the contributors.