Regulating Quality in CSR Reporting in Australia

Abstract

While it is undisputed that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is good for society, the question remains as to the most effective way of increasing the quality of CSR reporting. It is becoming evident that relying on market forces is not delivering the hoped for results, and if corporations are under no obligation to report their CSR performance in an easily comparable manner, CSR will be neglected. A solution would be for governments to ensure that corporations disclose all their CSR activities in a scientific manner, so that the market can easily compare corporations’ social performance and respond accordingly. In this context, an analysis of how, and to what extent, legal regulation matters in developing quality in CSR reporting is essential. This is the focus of this article.