What material topics by ESG dimensions can be found within the materiality matrix from the European entities’ sustainability reports?

Fábio Albuquerque, Miguel Gomes and Maria Albertina Barreiro Rodrigues

Cogent Business & Management, 2024, vol. 11, issue 1, 2369212

Abstract: Materiality is a crucial concept in accounting and auditing, allowing the determination of relevant matters from the perspective of the entity and its stakeholders. This paper addresses an objective linked to disclosures on materiality in sustainability reporting by assessing the content of the topics underlying the materiality matrix by the environmental, social and governance (ESG) dimensions. The study adopts archival research as a method and content analysis as an investigation technique, using as a source different types of consolidated sustainability reports of the entities that make up the main indices of Euronext for 2021. The findings identify the predominance of topics related to the social dimension, with differences by country and industry. This research contributes to the literature and practice, which include standard-setting bodies, regulators, auditors, and stakeholders of sustainability reporting. Such contributions are identified by a novelty analysis regarding the content of the materiality matrix, and by proposing future avenues regarding the disclosure of materiality within a relevant source of entities’ reporting.By linking materiality, a traditional topic of accounting and auditing associated with the relevance and usefulness of the entities reporting, with non-financial information, this paper addresses and links two topics that simultaneously are of interest to a wide range of stakeholders. Those include managers, investors, and practitioners, such as accountants, auditors, economists and financial analysts, but also for standard-setter bodies, auditors, other regulatory entities and all those affected by the entities’ actions and attitudes concerning the environment, social responsibility, as well as their corporate governance mechanisms, which are the three pillars of their global sustainability. Consequently, it can attract the attention of all those who are interested in studies related to the entities’ capability to create value from a long-term perspective.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1080/23311975.2024.2369212

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