IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eco/journ2/2021-04-42.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Assessment of Sustainability Disclosures in Oil and Gas Listed Companies in Nigeria

Author

Listed:
  • Obiamaka Adaeze Nwobu

    (Covenant University, Nigeria,)

  • Collins Ngwakwe

    (University of Limpopo, South Africa,)

  • Akintola Owolabi

    (Pan-Atlantic University, Nigeria.)

  • Kingsley Adeyemo

    (Covenant University, Nigeria,)

Abstract

This paper assesses the level of corporate sustainability disclosures in an environmentally-sensitive industry in Nigeria - the oil and gas industry. The paper aims to evaluate the extent of sustainability disclosure in the annual report s oil and gas industries. The study retrieves secondary data on sustainability disclosure for 10 years (2010 - 2019) from eight oil and gas industries listed in the Nigerian stock exchange through a desktop approach and content analysis methodology. Content analysis of the sustainability disclosure is to identify items of sustainability disclosed in the annual reports. The paper assesses the extent of disclosure by adopting the global reporting initiative s scoring index. Findings from the analysis indicate a very low-level climate change and environmental pollution disclosure. Only 13.8% of the companies disclosed their impact on climate change and environmental pollution. On the contrary, all the companies revealed their community investment, which this paper regards as legitimizing smokescreen ecological pollution. The paper contributes to the literature by connecting the legitimacy theory to the decoying sustainability disclosure of oil and gas companies in Nigeria. In conclusion, the study recommends more stringent sustainability disclosure policies for the oil and gas to provide more information for environmental and climate change advocates and investors in censuring the companies, which might instill improved environmental compliance.

Suggested Citation

  • Obiamaka Adaeze Nwobu & Collins Ngwakwe & Akintola Owolabi & Kingsley Adeyemo, 2021. "An Assessment of Sustainability Disclosures in Oil and Gas Listed Companies in Nigeria," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 11(4), pages 352-361.
  • Handle: RePEc:eco:journ2:2021-04-42
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econjournals.com/index.php/ijeep/article/download/11095/5965
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.econjournals.com/index.php/ijeep/article/view/11095/5965
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sylvie Berthelot & Michel Coulmont & Kim Thibault, 2013. "Sustainability Content on Oil and Gas Company Websites," Business and Management Research, Business and Management Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 2(1), pages 94-103, March.
    2. Somaiya Yunus & Evangeline Elijido-Ten & Subhash Abhayawansa, 2016. "Determinants of carbon management strategy adoption: Evidence from Australia’s top 200 publicly listed firms," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 31(2), pages 156-179, February.
    3. Robert G. Eccles & Ioannis Ioannou & George Serafeim, 2012. "The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on Organizational Processes and Performance," NBER Working Papers 17950, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Berrone, Pascual & Gelabert, Liliana & Fosfuri, Andrea, 2009. "The impact of symbolic and substantive actions on environmental legitimacy," IESE Research Papers D/778, IESE Business School.
    5. Feng, Yunting & Lai, Kee-hung & Zhu, Qinghua, 2020. "Legitimacy in operations: How sustainability certification announcements by Chinese listed enterprises influence their market value?," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    6. Agostino Vollero & Francesca Conte & Alfonso Siano & Claudia Covucci, 2019. "Corporate social responsibility information and involvement strategies in controversial industries," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(1), pages 141-151, January.
    7. Tricia Ong & Terri Trireksani & Hadrian Geri Djajadikerta, 2016. "Hard and soft sustainability disclosures: Australia’s resources industry," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(2), pages 198-217, July.
    8. Saeid Homayoun & Faisal F. J. Al-Thani & Sakine Homayoun, 2016. "A Sustainability Accounting: Case Study on Exploration, Production and Midstream Activities at Maersk Oil," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 6(1), pages 20-27.
    9. Craig Deegan & Michaela Rankin & Peter Voght, 2000. "Firms' Disclosure Reactions to Major Social Incidents: Australian Evidence," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1), pages 101-130, March.
    10. Quick, Reiner, 2008. "Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Practices in Germany: A Study on Reporting Quality," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 35699, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    11. Shuili Du & Edward Vieira, 2012. "Striving for Legitimacy Through Corporate Social Responsibility: Insights from Oil Companies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 110(4), pages 413-427, November.
    12. Patten, Dennis M., 1992. "Intra-industry environmental disclosures in response to the Alaskan oil spill: A note on legitimacy theory," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 471-475, July.
    13. Daniela M Salvioni & Luisa Bosetti, 2014. "Sustainable Development and Corporate Communication in Global Markets," Symphonya. Emerging Issues in Management, Niccolò Cusano University, issue 1 Global .
    14. Alan Murray & Donald Sinclair & David Power & Rob Gray, 2006. "Do financial markets care about social and environmental disclosure?: Further evidence and exploration from the UK," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 19(2), pages 228-255, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Pruethsan Sutthichaimethee, 2024. "A Framework on Setting Strategies for Enhancing the Efficiency of State Power use in Thailand’s Pursuit of a Green Economy," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 14(1), pages 108-120, January.

    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. Chen, Hongtao & Fang, Xiumei & Xiang, Erwei & Ji, Xiaojia & An, Maolin, 2023. "Do online media and investor attention affect corporate environmental information disclosure?Evidence from Chinese listed companies," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1022-1040.
    2. Charles H. Cho & Jonathan Maurice & Emmanuelle Nègre & Marie-Anne Verdier, 2016. "Is environmental disclosure good for the environment? A meta-analysis and research agenda," Post-Print halshs-01369422, HAL.
    3. Malcolm Smith & Khadijah Yahya & Ahmad Marzuki Amiruddin, 2007. "Environmental disclosure and performance reporting in Malaysia," Asian Review of Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(2), pages 185-199, April.
    4. Scott Victor Valentine, 2010. "The Green Onion: a corporate environmental strategy framework," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(5), pages 284-298, September.
    5. repec:arp:tjssrr:2019:p:117-127 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Breeda Comyns, 2016. "Determinants of GHG Reporting: An Analysis of Global Oil and Gas Companies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 136(2), pages 349-369, June.
    7. Charles H. Cho & Matias Laine & Robin W. Roberts & Michelle Rodrigue, 2018. "The Frontstage and Backstage of Corporate Sustainability Reporting: Evidence from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Bill," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(3), pages 865-886, October.
    8. Branco, Manuel Castelo & Rodrigues, Lúcia Lima, 2008. "Social responsibility disclosure: A study of proxies for the public visibility of Portuguese banks," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 161-181.
    9. Linda Kusumaning Wedari & Amir Moradi‐Motlagh & Christine Jubb, 2023. "The moderating effect of innovation on the relationship between environmental and financial performance: Evidence from high emitters in Australia," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 654-672, January.
    10. Palmer, Mark & Truong, Yann, 2017. "The Impact of Technological Green New Product Introductions on Firm Profitability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 86-93.
    11. Ling Jin & Jun-Hyeok Choi & Saerona Kim & Dong-Hoon Yang, 2021. "Government Environmental Pressure and Market Response to Carbon Disclosure: A Study of the Early Chinese ETS Implementation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-18, December.
    12. Breeda Comyns & Frank Figge & Tobias Hahn & Ralf Barkemeyer, 2013. "Sustainability reporting: The role of “Search”, “Experience” and “Credence” information," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(3), pages 231-243, September.
    13. David Campbell, 2003. "Intra‐ and intersectoral effects in environmental disclosures: evidence for legitimacy theory?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(6), pages 357-371, November.
    14. Holm, Claus & Rikhardsson, Pall, 2006. "Experienced and Novice Investors: Does Environmental Information Influence on Investment Allocation Decisions?," Financial Reporting Research Group Working Papers R-2006-02, University of Aarhus, Aarhus School of Business, Department of Business Studies.
    15. Camélia Radu & Claude Francoeur, 2017. "Does Innovation Drive Environmental Disclosure? A New Insight into Sustainable Development," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(7), pages 893-911, November.
    16. 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.
    17. Thomas P. Lyon & John W. Maxwell, 2011. "Greenwash: Corporate Environmental Disclosure under Threat of Audit," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(1), pages 3-41, March.
    18. Liu, Fuzhen & He, Chaocheng & Lai, Kee-hung, 2024. "Market reaction to responsible production practices adoption: The role of firm size and financial slack," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    19. Faris Nasif AL- Shubiri & Abedalfattah Zuhair Al-Abedallat & Marwan Mohammad Abu Orabi, 2012. "Financial and Non Financial Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 2(8), pages 1001-1012.
    20. Renata Blanc & Manuel Castelo Branco & Charles H. Cho & Joanne Sopt, 2013. "In Search Of Disclosure Effects Of The Siemens Ag’S Corruption Scandal," OBEGEF Working Papers 015, OBEGEF - Observatório de Economia e Gestão de Fraude;OBEGEF Working Papers on Fraud and Corruption.
    21. Nurfarahin M. Haridan & Ahmad F. S. Hassan & Yusuf Karbhari, 2018. "Governance, religious assurance and Islamic banks: Do Shariah boards effectively serve?," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 22(4), pages 1015-1043, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Climate Change; Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Governance Indicators; Oil and Gas; Renewable Materials; Social Indicators; Sustainability Disclosures;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M4 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics

    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:eco:journ2:2021-04-42. 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: Ilhan Ozturk (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.econjournals.com .

    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.