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Ex-Ante Impact Assessment of Sustainability Information–The Directive 2014/95

Author

Listed:
  • Cristian Carini

    (Department of Law, University of Brescia, Contrada Santa Chiara, 50, 25122 Brescia, Italy)

  • Laura Rocca

    (Department of Law, University of Brescia, Contrada Santa Chiara, 50, 25122 Brescia, Italy)

  • Monica Veneziani

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Brescia, Contrada Santa Chiara, 50, 25122 Brescia, Italy)

  • Claudio Teodori

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Brescia, Contrada Santa Chiara, 50, 25122 Brescia, Italy)

Abstract

Directive 2014/95, in force since 2017, is the first European step that requires undertakings to provide mandatory non-financial information. The regulation concerns sustainability information, such as environmental, social, and employee information, human rights, and anti-corruption and bribery matters, and the disclosure of diversity policies for board members. According to the theoretical framework of Integrated Assessment (IA), the study aims to examine the expected impact of the Directive within the analysis of empirical evidence before the mandatory approach. This allows, on the regulatory side, evaluation of the quality of the regulation, therefore, whether the law achieves its policy objectives (i.e., if it fills the gap in the sustainability disclosure) and, on the firms’ side, to identify where companies have to invest to meet the legal requirements. The oil and gas sector is chosen as a sample for the study, because it is one of the most advanced sectors in sustainability disclosure, and if the regulation could impact on this sector, it would be the same for less-informed ones. The findings reveal a fair level of completeness of non-financial information, however, there are some areas that have to be improved to achieve the requirements of the Directive. The results also show the presence of overlap between financial and sustainability reports. In conclusion, the quality of regulation is good because it will also increase sustainability disclosure in an advanced sector, such as oil and gas, even if there is an open point on the location of information; companies in this sector will have to invest more in environmental and employee information in future years to comply with the Directive.

Suggested Citation

  • Cristian Carini & Laura Rocca & Monica Veneziani & Claudio Teodori, 2018. "Ex-Ante Impact Assessment of Sustainability Information–The Directive 2014/95," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-24, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:2:p:560-:d:132904
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Ho-Tan-Phat Phan & Francesco De Luca & Lea Iaia, 2020. "The “Walk” towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Does Mandated “Talk” through NonFinancial Disclosure Affect Companies’ Financial Performance?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-20, March.
    5. Ries Breijer & René P. Orij, 2022. "The Comparability of Non-Financial Information: An Exploration of the Impact of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD, 2014/95/EU)," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 332-361, May.
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    7. Andrea Cardoni & Evgeniia Kiseleva & Simone Terzani, 2019. "Evaluating the Intra-Industry Comparability of Sustainability Reports: The Case of the Oil and Gas Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-23, February.
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    9. Cristian R. Loza Adaui, 2020. "Sustainability Reporting Quality of Peruvian Listed Companies and the Impact of Regulatory Requirements of Sustainability Disclosures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-22, February.
    10. Cristina Raluca Gh. Popescu, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Governance and Business Performance: Limits and Challenges Imposed by the Implementation of Directive 2013/34/EU in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-31, September.
    11. Fabio Caputo & Rossella Leopizzi & Simone Pizzi & Virginia Milone, 2019. "The Non-Financial Reporting Harmonization in Europe: Evolutionary Pathways Related to the Transposition of the Directive 95/2014/EU within the Italian Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    12. Lucia Biondi & Enrico Bracci, 2018. "Sustainability, Popular and Integrated Reporting in the Public Sector: A Fad and Fashion Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-16, August.
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    14. Lara Tarquinio & Stefanía C. Posadas & Deborah Pedicone, 2020. "Scoring Nonfinancial Information Reporting in Italian Listed Companies: A Comparison of before and after the Legislative Decree 254/2016," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-22, May.

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