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Disclosure of material CSR information. comparison of the mandatory CSR disclosure systems for listed companies in the EU and the US. TRENDS AND FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 9-10 June 2011, Tampere, Finland. Agenda. Introduction The general setup of mandatory CSR reporting
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Disclosure of material CSR information comparison of the mandatory CSR disclosure systems for listed companies in the EU and the US TRENDS AND FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 9-10 June 2011, Tampere, Finland
Agenda • Introduction • The general setup of mandatory CSR reporting • The specific requirements in the US and the EU • The disclosure threshold • Findings and conclusion
Introduction • CSR is a growing interest for many stakeholders • the bottleneck between the company and the stakeholders is CSR reporting • increasing attention is paid to CSR reporting • CSR reporting requirements in the periodic reports • voluntary CSR reporting by the companies
Mandatory CSR reporting • the mandatory reporting requirements are linked to the existing financial reporting framework • the requirements consist of two components: • a specific requirement (such as a line item requirement) and • a threshold or condition (materiality or similar condition) disclosure disclosure non-mandatory mandatory
Specific requirements in the US and the EU • specific requirements in the US: • costs of complying with environmental laws • legal proceedings in progress against the company • Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Result of Operations • risk factors relevant to a company which make an investment in that company speculative or risky • general disclosure rule • specific requirements in the EU: • non-financial key performance indicators, including environmental and employee matters
Materiality in the US • the development of the concept • the elements of the materiality concept: • the core concept – the reasonable investor/shareholder • the ‘might consider important’ condition • the total mix of information • other relevant circumstances
The condition of reporting in the EU • the condition set by the Modernisation Directive • the elements of the condition: • the intended audience of the disclosure • the “necessary for the understanding” condition • the total mix of information and other circumstances
Findings and conclusion • US system of CSR reporting: • closely integrated in the existing financial disclosure system • more specific requirements • reliant on the financial notion of materiality • the aim is to be objective • EU system of CSR reporting: • loosely integrated in the existing financial disclosure system • less specific requirements • also reliant on a disclosure threshold • allows more subjectivity in the assessment
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