Editorial Volume 16 Issue 2. March 2022.

This Special Issue is based on selected papers from the Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) and Sustainability Conference (2021). This is the second ESG conference held by Victoria University Business School (VUBS) and the Institute of Sustainable Industries and the Liveable Cities (ISILC) of Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia

Emerging corporate disclosure of environmental social and governance (ESG) risks: An Australian study

Today, companies across all industries around the globe face the challenges of unprecedented disruption due to climate change and other social disruptions. It is the responsibility of standard setters and regulators of the financial sector to constantly encourage industries to adopt and respond instead of ignoring the disruption. Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) risk disclosure is one of the main emerging corporate disclosures of rising importance. Specifically with new Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listing rules companies listed in the ASX are expected to comply with new Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) risk discloser requirements from the year 2016 and if they do not comply, the \u27if not, why not\u27 rule applies. This study seeks to provide insight into the current ESG risk disclosure practices in the Australian context giving particular reference to the extractive sector companies for which ESG disclosure has become a crucial reporting requirement

Determinants of public sector accounting reforms: A case study of Sri Lanka in rapidly developing Asia

Special Issue: International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS): Current status, practices, and future agend

The Surge of Environmental Social and Governance Reporting and Sustainable Development Goals: Some Normative Thoughts

The rising demand for Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure by stakeholders has created a new tide of sustainability reporting, including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With this new rising tide, the need for enhanced credibility in ESG information has stimulated the development of carbon accounting, ESG disclosure measures and regulations around the world. The aim of this article is to analyse the risks and opportunities of ESG practices and the impact of different stakeholders on the measures, tools and frameworks, including SDGs used among different sectors to report sustainability performance. This study finds that business leaders worldwide have an opportunity to use transparent information about ESG risks and opportunities to promote more effective engagement with investors and other stakeholders and global, national and organisational leaders have a legal and ethical responsibility to deliver sustainable outcomes to their global and local communities

The Surge of Environmental Social and Governance Reporting and Sustainable Development Goals: Some Normative Thoughts

The rising demand for Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure by stakeholders has created a new tide of sustainability reporting, including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With this new rising tide, the need for enhanced credibility in ESG information has stimulated the development of carbon accounting, ESG disclosure measures and regulations around the world. The aim of this article is to analyse the risks and opportunities of ESG practices and the impact of different stakeholders on the measures, tools and frameworks, including SDGs used among different sectors to report sustainability performance. This study finds that business leaders worldwide have an opportunity to use transparent information about ESG risks and opportunities to promote more effective engagement with investors and other stakeholders and global, national and organisational leaders have a legal and ethical responsibility to deliver sustainable outcomes to their global and local communities

An overview of the new listing rules and corporate governance best practice in Sri Lanka

Corporate governance represents institutional structures and incentive mechanisms that are implemented in order to mitigate the principal-agent problem and to thus promote the long-term competitiveness of the firm. The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of corporate governance best practice and the new listing rules in Sri Lanka. The paper discusses the evolution of the corporate governance best practice giving special reference to the new listing rules in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan stock market overview and the importance of best practice governance for the developing economy of Sri Lanka. Corporate governance practices in Sri Lanka has made a progress towards best practice, but, this paper argues, that substantial reforms need to be implemented to effectively promote and sustain the accountability and transparency

Corporate governance best practice and listing rules in Sri Lanka

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the notion of corporate governance best practice giving special reference to Sri Lanka. Corporate governance repres ents institutional structures and incentive mechanisms that are implemented in order to mitigate the principal - agent problem and to thus promote the long - term competitiveness of the firm. The paper not only examines the nature of corporate governance best practice, but also discusses the characteristics of Sri Lankan stock market and the importance of best practice governance for the developing market economy of Sri Lanka. It is demonstrated that corporate governance in Sri Lanka has made progress toward be st practice, but, the paper argues, that substantial reforms remain to be implemented in order for accountability, transparency, and firm performance to be effectively promoted and sustained