Assessment of the Scope of Environmental Information Disclosure in External Reporting of Polish Stock Exchange Listed Companies in the Energy Sector

Purpose: The objective of this paper is to compare the scope of disclosures of environmental information in the annual reports of the largest listed companies of the energy sector in Poland. Design/Methodology/Approach: The initial part of the article presents regulatory requirements for the scope of disclosure of environmental information in the annual reports of listed companies. Next, the qualitative, quantitative and valuable information contained in the annual reports of the largest energy listed companies in the area of their impact on the natural environment was subject to comparative analysis. Findings: The results of the empirical research carried out indicate that in the years 2016-2018 all analyzed companies, despite the fact that in their business model refer to the use of GRI standards, the form and place of presenting environmental information in the reports of individual companies is varied. In addition, the scope of content, shape and position of this information in the annual reports of the same companies over the years assessed also indicate significant differences. Practical Implications: A considerable variety of reporting on the environmental impacts of the energy companies prevents full comparability of data on the impact of the their activities on the natural environment and ways to counteract its degradation. Originality/value: In order to solve the identified problem, Polish energy companies should be obliged to report on the environment according to a unified template, so that the information they prepare is comparable and form the basis for making rational management decisions in the area of environmental impacts.