IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/acctfi/v61y2021i3p4833-4858.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Employee disclosures in the grocery industry before the COVID‐19 pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Pamela Kent
  • Robyn McCormack
  • Tamara Zunker

Abstract

We provide evidence on the consumer staples industry's commitment and accountability to employees prior to the COVID‐19 pandemic by analysing their employee‐related disclosures in annual reports. A high level of disclosure exists from 2004 to 2019 with 93 percent of the industry disclosing some information about employees. The highest categories of disclosure are remuneration, health and safety, and training and development. We find that total disclosure is significantly related to having employee share ownership, a Big 4 auditor, a larger board of directors, a majority independent board, independent chair, an audit and nomination committee and higher ROA.

Suggested Citation

  • Pamela Kent & Robyn McCormack & Tamara Zunker, 2021. "Employee disclosures in the grocery industry before the COVID‐19 pandemic," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(3), pages 4833-4858, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:61:y:2021:i:3:p:4833-4858
    DOI: 10.1111/acfi.12755
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/acfi.12755
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/acfi.12755?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sarah J. Williams & Carol A. Adams, 2013. "Moral accounting? Employee disclosures from a stakeholder accountability perspective," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 26(3), pages 449-495, March.
    2. Deegan, Craig, 2017. "Twenty five years of social and environmental accounting research within Critical Perspectives of Accounting: Hits, misses and ways forward," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 65-87.
    3. Neil A. Hartnett & Abul Shamsuddin, 2020. "Initial public offer pricing, corporate governance and contextual relevance: Australian evidence," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(1), pages 335-372, March.
    4. Pamela Kent & Tamara Zunker, 2013. "Attaining legitimacy by employee information in annual reports," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 26(7), pages 1072-1106, September.
    5. Eunice S. Khoo & Youngdeok Lim & Gary S. Monroe, 2020. "Audit Committee Members’ Reputation Incentives and Their Effectiveness in Monitoring the Financial Reporting Process," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 56(3), pages 348-406, September.
    6. Stephen V. Brown & W. Robert Knechel, 2016. "Auditor–Client Compatibility and Audit Firm Selection," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(3), pages 725-775, June.
    7. Sanjaya C. Kuruppu & Markus J. Milne & Carol A. Tilt, 2019. "Gaining, maintaining and repairing organisational legitimacy," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 32(7), pages 2062-2087, September.
    8. Olivier Boiral, 2013. "Sustainability reports as simulacra? A counter-account of A and A+ GRI reports," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 26(7), pages 1036-1071, September.
    9. Ali Ekici & Pınar Keskinocak & Julie L. Swann, 2014. "Modeling Influenza Pandemic and Planning Food Distribution," Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, INFORMS, vol. 16(1), pages 11-27, February.
    10. Sang Jun Cho & Chune Young Chung & Jason Young, 2019. "Study on the Relationship between CSR and Financial Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-26, January.
    11. Zhongtian Li & Shamima Haque & Ellie (Larelle) Chapple, 2018. "Legitimising corporate reputation in times of employee distress through disclosure," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(1), pages 22-45, May.
    12. Peter M. Clarkson & Michael B. Overell & Larelle Chapple, 2011. "Environmental Reporting and its Relation to Corporate Environmental Performance," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 47(1), pages 27-60, March.
    13. Domènec Melé & Jaume Armengou, 2016. "Moral Legitimacy in Controversial Projects and Its Relationship with Social License to Operate: A Case Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(4), pages 729-742, July.
    14. Wei‐Huei Hsu & Sian Owen & Jo‐Ann Suchard, 2020. "The value of ongoing venture capital investment to newly listed firms," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(2), pages 1327-1349, June.
    15. Intan Suryani Abu Bakar & Arifur Khan & Paul Mather & George Tanewski, 2020. "Board monitoring and covenant restrictiveness in private debt contracts during the global financial crisis," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(S1), pages 661-692, April.
    16. Craig Michael Deegan, 2019. "Legitimacy theory," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 32(8), pages 2307-2329, July.
    17. Chin Moi Loh & Craig Deegan & Robert Inglis & Gary Monroe, 2015. "The changing trends of corporate social and environmental disclosure within the Australian gambling industry," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 55(3), pages 783-823, September.
    18. Pamela Kent & Tamara Zunker, 2017. "A stakeholder analysis of employee disclosures in annual reports," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(2), pages 533-563, June.
    19. Jan Bebbington & Carlos Larrinaga & Jose M. Moneva, 2008. "Corporate social reporting and reputation risk management," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 21(3), pages 337-361, March.
    20. Roberts, Robin W., 1992. "Determinants of corporate social responsibility disclosure: An application of stakeholder theory," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 595-612, August.
    21. Belen Fernandez-Feijoo & Silvia Romero & Silvia Ruiz, 2014. "Effect of Stakeholders’ Pressure on Transparency of Sustainability Reports within the GRI Framework," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(1), pages 53-63, June.
    22. Clarkson, Peter M. & Li, Yue & Richardson, Gordon D. & Vasvari, Florin P., 2008. "Revisiting the relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: An empirical analysis," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(4-5), pages 303-327.
    23. Maria C. A. Balatbat & Stephen L. Taylor & Terry S. Walter, 2004. "Corporate governance, insider ownership and operating performance of Australian initial public offerings," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 44(3), pages 299-328, November.
    24. Xiaoting Wei & Cameron Truong & Viet Do, 2020. "When are dividend increases bad for corporate bonds?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(2), pages 1295-1326, June.
    25. Charles H. Cho & Giovanna Michelon & Dennis M. Patten & Robin W. Roberts, 2015. "CSR disclosure: the more things change…?," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 28(1), pages 14-35, January.
    26. Larelle Chapple & Thu Phuong Truong & Steven Cahan, 2015. "Continuous disclosure compliance: does corporate governance matter?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 55(4), pages 965-988, December.
    27. Walied Keshk & Hung‐Yuan (Richard) Lu & Vivek Mande, 2020. "How have US banks adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board's Level 3 fair value disclosure rules?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(S1), pages 693-727, April.
    28. Zheng, Qinqin & Luo, Yadong & Maksimov, Vladislav, 2015. "Achieving legitimacy through corporate social responsibility: The case of emerging economy firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 389-403.
    29. Tracy Artiach & Darren Lee & David Nelson & Julie Walker, 2010. "The determinants of corporate sustainability performance," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 50(1), pages 31-51, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pamela Kent & Richard Kent & Robyn McCormack & Julie‐Anne Tarr, 2023. "Disclosure of liquidity and cash flow statements by Australian superannuation funds before Covid‐19," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(2), pages 2653-2675, June.
    2. María Luisa Pajuelo Moreno & Teresa Duarte-Atoche, 2019. "Relationship between Sustainable Disclosure and Performance—An Extension of Ullmann’s Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-33, August.
    3. Janice Hollindale & Pamela Kent & James Routledge & Larelle Chapple, 2019. "Women on boards and greenhouse gas emission disclosures," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(1), pages 277-308, March.
    4. Jane Andrew & Max Baker, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting: The Last 40 Years and a Path to Sharing Future Insights," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 56(1), pages 35-65, March.
    5. Lopatta, Kerstin & Tideman, Sebastian A. & Scheil, Carolin & Makarem, Naser, 2023. "The current state of corporate human rights disclosure of the global top 500 business enterprises: Measurement and determinants," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    6. Pamela Kent & Tamara Zunker, 2017. "A stakeholder analysis of employee disclosures in annual reports," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(2), pages 533-563, June.
    7. Hans B. Christensen & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz, 2021. "Mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting: economic analysis and literature review," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 1176-1248, September.
    8. Eva Cerioni & Alessia D’Andrea & Marco Giuliani & Stefano Marasca, 2021. "Non-Financial Disclosure and Intra-Industry Comparability: A Macro, Meso and Micro Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-23, January.
    9. Cornelia Beck & Geoffrey Frost & Stewart Jones, 2018. "CSR disclosure and financial performance revisited: A cross-country analysis," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 43(4), pages 517-537, November.
    10. Valentina Minutiello & Patrizia Tettamanzi, 2022. "The quality of nonfinancial voluntary disclosure: A systematic literature network analysis on sustainability reporting and integrated reporting," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(1), pages 1-18, January.
    11. Fawad Rauf & Cosmina Lelia Voinea & Hammad Bin Azam Hashmi & Cosmin Fratostiteanu, 2020. "Moderating Effect of Political Embeddedness on the Relationship between Resources Base and Quality of CSR Disclosure in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-19, April.
    12. Dolores Gallardo-Vázquez & María J. Barroso-Méndez & María L. Pajuelo-Moreno & Julio Sánchez-Meca, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure and Performance: A Meta-Analytic Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-33, February.
    13. Li Cui & Pamela Kent & Sujin Kim & Shan Li, 2021. "Accounting conservatism and firm performance during the COVID‐19 pandemic," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(4), pages 5543-5579, December.
    14. Mohammed S. Y. Omran & Mohammad A. A. Zaid & Aladdin Dwekat, 2021. "The relationship between integrated reporting and corporate environmental performance: A green trial," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(1), pages 427-445, January.
    15. Salvatore Loprevite & Domenico Raucci & Daniela Rupo, 2020. "KPIs Reporting and Financial Performance in the Transition to Mandatory Disclosure: The Case of Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-24, June.
    16. Albertina Paula Monteiro & Beatriz Aibar-Guzmán & María Garrido-Ruso & Cristina Aibar-Guzmán, 2021. "Employee-Related Disclosure: A Bibliometric Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-38, May.
    17. Michelon, Giovanna & Pilonato, Silvia & Ricceri, Federica, 2015. "CSR reporting practices and the quality of disclosure: An empirical analysis," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 59-78.
    18. Lu Zhang & Yuan George Shan & Millicent Chang, 2021. "Can CSR Disclosure Protect Firm Reputation During Financial Restatements?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 157-184, September.
    19. Helfaya, Akrum & Aboud, Ahmed & Amin, Essam, 2023. "An examination of corporate environmental goals disclosure, sustainability performance and firm value – An Egyptian evidence," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    20. Ramona Zharfpeykan, 2021. "Representative account or greenwashing? Voluntary sustainability reports in Australia's mining/metals and financial services industries," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 2209-2223, May.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:61:y:2021:i:3:p:4833-4858. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aaanzea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.