Sustainability reporting and stakeholder engagement of Malaysian hotels in social media: the moderating role of media types

Abstract

This study explored the relationships between sustainability reporting dimensions, media types, and stakeholder engagement in 223 upscale hotels in Malaysia. The research discovered low levels of sustainability reporting disclosure and stakeholder engagement on social media pages (Facebook) among upscale Malaysian hotels. The upscale Malaysian hotels focused more on social dimension of sustainability reporting than economic and environmental sustainability reporting. Hotels that communicated sustainability-related information on their social media pages using visual media such as photos or videos had higher stakeholder engagement. This study emphasises the important role of sustainability reporting dimensions and media types in promoting stakeholder engagement, which aligns with stakeholder theory and dialogic theory. The findings suggest that hoteliers should integrate social media management practices into their strategies to improve stakeholder engagement levels on social media, thereby ensuring business sustainability. The findings provide valuable insights to hoteliers regarding the significance of sustainability reporting dimensions and media types in improving stakeholder engagement on social media.