Special Issue on "Social Responsibility Accounting and Reporting in Times of ‘Sustainability Downturn/Crisis’

At a time when sustainability performance does not seem to match the expectations raised by the sustainable development concept and, moreover, when the economic downturn and crisis could be further eroding social and environmental concerns and values, the notion of sustainability crisis provides an interesting starting point to reflect on the role of Social and Environmental Accounting Research. Lack of humanity and values, short term economic approach, institutional capture and misunderstanding and misuse of democracy, have all served as catalysts of sustainability downturn and crisis. Thus, this editorial attempts to advance public interest accounting by discussing the controversy around Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, expecting that the constitutive effects of researchers’ words in this special issue and in future research agendas, will result in more transformative power relations able to enhance a healthy democracy inspired by the capacity to do things and to transform individuals’ attitudes and behaviours, as well as the institutional response to the sustainability crisis.En una época en la que el desempeño en materia de sostenibilidad parece no cumplir las expectativas creadas por el concepto de desarrollo sostenible y, en la que además, la recesión y la crisis económica podría estar erosionando aún más los valores y preocupaciones sociales y medioambientales, la noción de crisis de sostenibilidad proporciona un interesante punto de partida para reflexionar sobre el papel de la investigación en Contabilidad Social y Medioambiental. La falta de humanidad y la ausencia de valores, el enfoque económico cortoplacista, la captura institucional y la democracia mal entendida y su uso incorrecto, han servido como catalizadores de la crisis y la recesión de la sostenibilidad. Así, el presente editorial pretende avanzar en la contabilidad como interés general, debatiendo sobre la controversia existente alrededor de la Sostenibilidad y la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa, con la expectativa de que los efectos constitutivos de las palabras de los investigadores, en este número especial y en las agendas de investigación futuras, redunden en unas relaciones de poder más transformadoras capaces de favorecer una democracia sana inspirada por la capacidad de hacer cosas y cambiar los comportamientos y actitudes individuales así como la respuesta institucional a la crisis de sostenibilidad

Accounting for Carbon Footprint Flows in Wine Production Process. Case Study in Spanish Winery

Companies are gradually becoming conscious about the necessity of reducing their environmental impact and adopting low-carbon strategies in order to cope with increasing institutional and social demands. However, remaining competitive while reducing the environmental impact and improving the corporate image requires adopting sophisticated mechanisms boosting eco-efficiency and keeping costs tight. Material Flows Cost Accounting (MFCA) is an instrument that allows the monitoring of, measurement of, and accounting for physical and monetary processes along the production process. If extended to the supply chain, and applied to the energy usage and CO2 emissions, it allows one to account for the Carbon Footprint (CF) of a company and its products at any given stage of the value chain. The current paper presents a case study developed under the framework of a three-year project to introduce an energy use and carbon emissions monitoring and accounting system in a large winery company in Spain, based on the MFCA approach and CF accountability. Including the supply chain of the company and the whole farming cycle of its main input, the case study presents the method and phases adopted to implement the project, its direct and indirect results and outcomes, and the conclusions that can be extracted, which may be inspirational for practitioners and scholars envisaging similar projects

¿Reportar mediciones o midiendo para reportar? Medición interna de la Economía Circular desde una perspectiva de la contabilidad medioambiental y su interrelación

This paper aims to provide a model to measure the circular economy in businesses from an environmental accounting approach. The range of circular activities and the intensity with which companies implement them are analysed to increase the understanding of the relationship between the implementation of circular economy in firms and their different environmental management accounting and reporting practices. The study is developed through an empirical analysis based on a survey addressed to a sample of Spanish companies and designed to analyse different environmental accounting practices and measure the circular economy-related activities introduced by companies to close the material loops in processes. Main results indicate that circular economy activities are generally introduced by companies progressively, without clearly responding to common patterns for the introduction of the different circular principles and activities. A moderate correlation is observed between companies’ level of circular economy and their environmental management accounting practices, with a more significant correlation for a higher number of circular activities, particularly for firms that implement environmental management systems and have higher levels of transparency and sustainability information policies. Although companies are progressively adopting circular activities, the lack of specific indicators limits their internal measurement. Consequently, the information provided by organisations about the closing of material loops remains sporadic. The results highlight the need for built-in specific metrics to deploy environmental accounting practices in circular economy models.Este trabajo presenta un modelo para medir la economía circular en las empresas desde un enfoque de contabilidad medioambiental. Se analizan tanto el rango de actividades circulares como la intensidad con la que son implementadas para contribuir al conocimiento de la relación entre la introducción de la economía circular en las empresas y sus prácticas de contabilidad e información de gestión medioambiental. El estudio se desarrolla a través de un análisis empírico llevado a cabo a través de una encuesta dirigida a una muestra de empresas españolas diseñada para analizar las prácticas de contabilidad e información medioambiental y de medición de las actividades relacionadas con la economía circular introducidas por las empresas en sus procesos de cierre de círculos de materiales. Los principales resultados obtenidos indican que las actividades de economía circular son generalmente introducidas por las empresas progesivamente, sin responder de forma clara a paulas relacionadas con los distintos principios y actividades circulares. Se observa una correlación moderada entre el nivel de circularidad de las empresas y sus prácticas de contabilidad de gestión medioambiental, siendo la correlación mayor a mayor número de actividades, especialmente en lo que concierne a la implementación de sistemas de gestión ambiental o el desarrollo de políticas de transparencia y de información de sostenibilidad. A pesar de que las empresas estén adoptando progresivamente actividades circulares, la falta de indicadores específicos limita la medición interna de la economía circular por parte de las empresas. Por consiguiente, la información proporcionada por las organizaciones acerca del cierre de círculos sigue siendo esporádica. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la necesidad de métricas integradas específicas para el despliegue de prácticas de contabildiad medioambiental para modelos de economía circular

Reporting measurements or measuring for reporting? Internal measurement of the Circular Economy from an environmental accounting approach and its relationship

This study presents a model to measure Circular Economy (CE) in businesses from the point of view of both the range of activities and the intensity with which they are implemented to close material circles. The scope of CE is analysed from an environmental accounting approach with the aim of knowing the degree of implementation of the CE and increasing our understanding of the relationship between the implementation of CE in firms and environmental management accounting and reporting practices (EMAR) developed.The results of an empirical survey conducted on a sample of Spanish companies will be used to examine environmental accounting and reporting practices that can be related to the implementation and measurement of CE and also to the progress being made by these companies in closing material and resource circles. The principal results show that CE activities are generally adopted without thinking in an integrated view of CE principles. Furthermore, there is a moderate correlation between the level of circularity of companies and the development of EMAR practices. This correlation is higher the greater the number of EMAR practices that have been developed, especially the implementation of environmental management systems or the development of transparency and reporting policies. Although firms are progressively adopting practices related to CE, the lack of specific indicators does not allow firms to specifically account for their effect on the closing of material loops. Este trabajo presenta un modelo para medir la Economía Circular (CE) en las empresas desde la perspectiva del rango de actividades y de la intensidad con que son implementadas para el cierre de círculos de materiales. El alcance de CE ha sido analizado desde un enfoque de la contabilidad medioambiental con el objetivo de saber el grado de implantación de la CE y aumentar la comprensión de la relación entre la implementación de la CE en las empresas y el desarrollo de prácticas de contabilidad e información de gestión medioambiental (EMAR).Los resultados de una encuesta dirigida a una muestra de empresas españolas han sido utilizados para analizar las prácticas de contabilidad e información medioambiental que pueden estar relacionadas con la implementación y medición de la CE, y con el progreso realizado por dichas compañías en el cierre de círculos de materiales y recursos. Los resultados principales muestran que las actividades de CE son generalmente adoptadas sin tener una visión global e integrada de los principios de la CE. Además, existe una correlación moderada entre el nivel de circularidad de las empresas y el desarrollo de las prácticas EMAR. Esta correlación es mayor cuanto mayor número de actividades de EMAR se han desarrollado, especialmente la implementación de sistemas de gestión ambiental o el desarrollo de políticas de transparencia y de información de sostenibilidad. Las empresas están adoptando progresivamente prácticas que están relacionadas con la CE, pero la falta de indicadores específicos no permite que las empresas contabilicen específicamente su efecto en el cierre de círculos

Utilidad de la Información Financiera para la Gestión de las Entidades Privada no Lucrativas

El notable protagonismo experimentado por las entidades no lucrativas en los sistemas económicos y la relevancia social que han adquirido impulsó la emisión de normas contables dirigidas a su rendición de cuentas. La utilidad para la toma de decisiones constituye la finalidad esencial de la información financiera, y en este marco se sitúa la adaptación del Plan General de Contabilidad para las entidades no lucrativas, diseñada por el ICAC y publicada en 1998. En este trabajo se aborda el análisis de la utilidad de la información financiera exigida por esta regulación desde el punto de vista de los usuarios internos. Para ello, hemos realizado una encuesta a responsables de la gestión económico-financiera de las asociaciones de utilidad pública españolas, recabando su opinión y valoración sobre las distintas áreas de la información financiera y presupuestaria.Los resultados de la encuesta permiten constatar que los responsables de la gestión utilizan la información financiera para diversas tareas de gestión, aunque se sigue considerando muy relevante su utilidad para la rendición de cuentas. Destaca sin embargo, la baja utilidad asignada al estado del presupuesto y su liquidación, en contra de lo que cabía esperar a priori.The relevant increase of the role of non profit organizations in the economic systems and their high social impact has induced accounting standard setters to introduce financial reporting standards for these entities. Usefulness for decision-taking is the main purpose for financial reporting and, in this context, was introduced the adaptation of the General Accounting Plan for non profit organizations. The present study analyses the usefulness of financial reporting required to non profit entities from a management perspective. For carrying out this goal, we sent a questionnaire to managers of Spanish public utility associations to know their opinion about the compulsory financial reporting. Our results show that managers of these entities use financial reporting for management purposes, although financial reporting is still basically relevant for accountability purposes. However, the budgetary statement is not very used

Defining and measuring different dimensions of financial resources for business eco-innovation and the influence of the firms' capabilities

Despite the growing number of studies on eco-innovation, the measurement of the specific financial resources applied to the eco-innovation process by firms and its internal management have not been thoroughly elucidated to date. Therefore, the main objectives of this study is to define, classify, and measure different dimensions of financial resources applied to eco-innovation by firms and to analyse the influence of business' technological and environmental management capabilities in the efficient allocation of these resources to undertake investments in eco-innovation. Resource amounts and their quality, availability and public nature are measured using a novel approach that addresses the study of their different aspects as a whole. A partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM) on a sample of Spanish companies shows that different dimensions of financial resources influence the eco-innovative investment and the internal management of eco-innovation

Evaluating sustainability in organisations with a fuzzy logic approach

Purpose - To determine whether the organisations more strategically committed to its stakeholders present better social and financial performance and, based on this relationship, know the state of the art of the Spanish sectors’ approach to the sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach - This paper analyses the sustainability approach of a sample of 52 Spanish listed firms. This process is based on the study of different indexes generated in order to evaluate the company’s commitment through its stakeholders, the social and financial performance of these organisations, and the relationship between them. Previous results showed a positive and not significant relationship between these variables and a positive financial performance. This paper replicates a former research by introducing a fuzzy- logic- based methodology in order to generate the aforementioned indexes. Findings -The current results support the conclusions formerly obtained and simultaneously demonstrate that the big Spanish companies are at an incipient stage of development of a clearly sustainability - oriented management. Research limitations/implications - The unavailability of a long series of organisations sustainability information is an obstacle for a broader analysis. This research could motivate the usefulness of the fuzzy logic methodology for analysing the business sustainability approach and to develop studies on the corporate social performance. Originality/value - The use of fuzzy logic methodology for the generation of indexes related to the organisations social responsibility and sustainability result

Utilidad de la Información Financiera Obligatoria para la Gestión: Análisis de la PYME Española: The Usefulness of Compulsory Financial Reporting for Management Decisions: an Analysis of Spanish Small and Medium Sized Businesses

The aim of this paper is to provide empirical evidence as to the degree of usefulness of the annual accounts that Spanish small businesses are required to produce. Given that bankers and managers are the main users of these financial statements, we have focused our study on the management decision making process and on the burdens of this legal requirement.Thus, using a questionnaire forwarded to the directors of one hundred of the most relevant small and medium sized businesses in Spain, we have obtained the following basic results:– The compulsory annual accounts required by Spanish law are relevant for the management decisionmaking process, although directors think that they are of greater value to other users, such as banks and financial creditors.– Although the elaboration of annual accounts is a large burden for Spanish small and medium sized businesses, there are other administrative requirements, such as the completion of tax forms, that are considered even more onerous.– There are significant differences of opinion between UK and Italian management, as compared to their Spanish equivalents, on the costs and use fulness of financial reporting.En el presente trabajo se pretende obtener evidencias sobre si las cuentas anuales exigidas a la PYME española se adecuan al objetivo de utilidad para la toma de decisiones económicas de los usuarios. Dado que los principales interesados en la información financiera de la PYME son las entidades financieras y la dirección, hemos centrado nuestro análisis en las decisiones de gestión y en las cargas administrativas que implican estos requisitos.Para ello, hemos encuestado a los gerentes de PYMEs españolas caracterizadas por su excelente funcionamiento, de cuyas respuestas se pueden extraer las siguientes conclusiones:– La información financiera exigida por la normativa española es relevante para la toma de decisiones de la gerencia, aunque es más adecuada para otros fines como el análisis de la empresa por los acreedores financieros.– La elaboración de la información contable es una tarea gravosa para la PYME, pero otras, como el control y cumplimentación de las declaraciones de impuestos, se consideran más costosas.– Existen importantes diferencias en las opiniones recabadas en España con las de otros entornos geográficos

Environmental disclosure and Eco-innovation interrelation. The case of Spanish firms

The actual drivers of companies’ environmental disclosure have been widely studied and yet with no conclusive results. Most literature looks for the link between environmental performance and environmental disclosure, as reflection of the company instrumental or normative approach to sustainability. However, over the last decade, a growing number of companies are joining the ranks of eco-innovation, focusing their strategy on environmental innovation, and paving the way for new approaches to environmental disclosure. The main objective of this paper is to assess if eco-innovation in companies can be acting as a non-intended driver to disclosure of environmental reporting, in connection to the Resources Based View theory, and the search for competitive advantage. An extensive research has been undertaken with Spanish eco-innovative companies, evaluating their environmental disclosure standards from a two-fold perspective: managers’ perception and public available environmental reporting. The findings bring in interesting implications about the mismatch between managers’ perception of their environmental disclosure and accounting standards, and the actual disclosure of environmental reporting made available to their stakeholders. Within the studied sample, eco-innovation appears to be a driver for environmental disclosure from an inside-out approach encompassed in the RBV theory, where environmental information is primarily meant for managerial purposes and only secondarily to inform stakeholders

Utilidad de la Información Financiera para la Gestión de la Entidades Privadas no Lucrativas: Usefulness of Non-Profit Private Entities Financial Reporting for Management Purposes

The relevant increase of the role of non profit organizations in the economic systems and their high social impact has induced accounting standard setters to introduce financial reporting standards for these entities. Usefulness for decision-taking is the main purpose for financial reporting and, in this context, was introduced the adaptation of the General Accounting Plan for non profit organizations. The present study analyses the usefulness of financial reporting required to non profit entities from a management perspective. For carrying out this goal, we sent a questionnaire to managers of Spanish public utility associations to know their opinion about the compulsory financial reporting. Our results show that managers of these entities use financial reporting for management purposes, although financial reporting is still basically relevant for accountability purposes. However, the budgetary statement is not very used.El notable protagonismo experimentado por las entidades no lucrativas en los sistemas económicos y la relevancia social que han adquirido impulsó la emisión de normas contables dirigidas a su rendición de cuentas. La utilidad para la toma de decisiones constituye la finalidad esencial de la información financiera, y en este marco se sitúa la adaptación del Plan General de Contabilidad para las entidades no lucrativas, diseñada por el ICAC y publicada en 1998. En este trabajo se aborda el análisis de la utilidad de la información financiera exigida por esta regulación desde el punto de vista de los usuarios internos. Para ello, hemos realizado una encuesta a responsables de la gestión económico-financiera de las asociaciones de utilidad pública españolas, recabando su opinión y valoración sobre las distintas áreas de la información financiera y presupuestaria. Los resultados de la encuesta permiten constatar que los responsables de la gestión utilizan la información financiera para diversas tareas de gestión, aunque se sigue considerando muy relevante su utilidad para la rendición de cuentas. Destaca sin embargo, la baja utilidad asignada al estado del presupuesto y su liquidación, en contra de lo que cabía esperar a priori