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The “trilemma” of non-financial reporting and its pitfalls

Author

Listed:
  • Pierre Baret

    (CEREGE (Université de Poitiers))

  • Vincent Helfrich

    (AHP-PReST - UMR 7117 (Université de Strasbourg))

Abstract

This research aims to show that the non-financial reporting tool collides with nexus of constraints which we will qualify as a “trilemma”: (1) the constraint linked to the complexity, the irreducibility and the scalability of corporate social responsibility (2) the constraint linked to inherent stakes of non-financial reporting (3) the constraint linked to company expectations. The inscription of the tool within the nexus of constraints can be more or less effective, depending on how the points of convergence or friction are managed between the different constraints. In this way, three categories of possible pitfalls appear. Idealistic reporting, lay reporting or technical reporting. To conclude we discuss the possibility that Integrated Reporting can be an “optimal” solution between these pitfalls and the limits of this possibility.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierre Baret & Vincent Helfrich, 2019. "The “trilemma” of non-financial reporting and its pitfalls," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 23(2), pages 485-511, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jmgtgv:v:23:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s10997-018-9430-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10997-018-9430-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Lucas Boucaud, 2021. "Pilotage ou reddition, à quoi et à qui sert le reporting extra-financier ? Une lecture structurationniste d’un système de contrôle de la RSE dans une multinationale française," Post-Print hal-03278759, HAL.
    2. Lucas Boucaud, 2021. "Pilotage ou reddition, à quoi et à qui sert le reporting extra-financier ? Une lecture structurationniste du système de gestion de la RSE dans une multinationale française," Post-Print hal-03361406, HAL.
    3. Malgorzata Janicka & Artur Sajnog, 2021. "The European Union’s Environmental Policy and Long-Term Investments of Enterprises," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4B), pages 335-355.
    4. Pierre Baret, 2018. "La recherche-intervention au service de l'enseignement de la RSE," Post-Print hal-02159645, HAL.
    5. Marko Milojević & Mariusz Urbański & Ivica Terzić & Valeriy Prasolov, 2020. "Impact of Non-Financial Factors on the Effectiveness of Audits in Energy Companies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-17, November.
    6. Marian Socoliuc & Cristina-Gabriela Cosmulese & Marius-Sorin Ciubotariu & Svetlana Mihaila & Iulia-Diana Arion & Veronica Grosu, 2020. "Sustainability Reporting as a Mixture of CSR and Sustainable Development. A Model for Micro-Enterprises within the Romanian Forestry Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-34, January.
    7. Silvia Ruiz & Silvia Romero & Belen Fernandez‐Feijoo, 2021. "Stakeholder engagement is evolving: Do investors play a main role?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 1105-1120, February.

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