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How compliant are state-owned enterprises in Austria and Slovenia with regard to their sustainability reports?

Author

Listed:
  • Tatjana Stanimirovic

    (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Administration, Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Philumena Bauer

    (Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria)

  • Dorothea Greiling

    (Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria)

Abstract

In recent years, the integration of corporate, environmental and social factors into the management of business has been intensively promoted. Our paper focuses on the quality of the sustainability reports (SR) of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The methodological approach is based on the framework for content analysis provided by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) disclosure in non-financial/SR, using the translation table for linking SDGs and GRI Standards to evaluate the status of SDG compliance. The results reveal that companies in both countries generally report most intensively in the economic segment, as far as GRI standards and SDGs are concerned, exposing the economic value in the Benington (#ref12367#2011#/ref12367#) theoretical model. Comparatively, Slovenian SOEs’ SRs disclose on average a lower percentage of GRI standards in all four segments (general, economic, environmental, and social) than Austrian SOEs, while more than 70% of SDG 4 is reported in Slovenia.

Suggested Citation

  • Tatjana Stanimirovic & Philumena Bauer & Dorothea Greiling, 2024. "How compliant are state-owned enterprises in Austria and Slovenia with regard to their sustainability reports?," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 48(3), pages 283-310.
    • Handle: RePEc:ipf:psejou:v:48:y:2024:i:3:p:283-310
    DOI: 10.3326/pse.48.3.2
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sustainability reporting; SDG reporting; state-owned enterprises; public value theory; Slovenia; Austria;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H83 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Public Administration

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