CSR disclosures and transparency among top Indian companies

Abstract

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY INITIATIVES HELP FIRMS BALANCE THEIR ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPERATIVES. THESE INITIATIVES STRENGTHEN STAKEHOLDER-FIRM RELATIONSHIP AND ENHANCE CORPORATE IMAGE. TRANSPARENCY IN DISCLOSURE OF CSR POLICIES AND PROGRAMS IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT IF FIRMS HAVE TO FULLY BENEFIT FROM SUCH INITIATIVES. BY ANALYSING THE EXTENT OF CSR DISCLOSURE ON WEBSITES OF TOP 100 ET2014 COMPANIES IN INDIA, CSR DISCLOSURE SCORE AND TRANSPARENCY CATEGORIES ARE CREATED. OF THE 100 COMPANIES ANALYSED, ONLY EIGHT COMPANIES SHOW VERY HIGH TRANSPARENCY IN THEIR CSR DISCLOSURE. COMPARISON ACROSS FOUR INDUSTRY SECTORS HAS BEEN DONE USING THESE TWO INDICES. THE FINDINGS HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTITIONERS AS WELL AS ACADEMICIANS IN STANDARDISING CSR REPORTING, IN TURN HELPING THE STAKEHOLDERS.