Fostering social sustainability management through safety controls and accounting

Nuwan Gunarathne, Dileepa Samudrage, Dinushi Nisansala Wijesinghe and Ki-Hoon Lee

Accounting Research Journal, 2016, vol. 29, issue 2, 179-197

Abstract: Purpose - This paper aims to identify the usefulness of safety controls and accounting in corporate social sustainability management in response to various stakeholders’ demands and expectations in the mining sector. Design/methodology/approach - The case study approach is followed in this study as it provides in-depth understanding of complex social phenomena. Data collection is mainly based on semi-structured interviews, on-site assessments and documentation reviews. Visits were repeated and cross-checked to ensure the validity of data collection and analysis. Findings - The study identifies a reciprocal relationship between stakeholder management strategies and the safety control system that encapsulates a mix of leading and lagging key safety performance indicators (KSPIs). A safety control system with the right mix of KSPIs drives corporate value-creation by instigating internal organizational changes. Yet, the stakeholders’ expectations and pressures are dependent on national, historical, cultural and social settings and institutions that will impact on the safety controls and safety accounting in a substantial way. Originality/value - The paper demonstrates the usefulness of safety controls and accounting in corporate stakeholder management in the mining sector in Sri Lanka. The paper, by addressing how safety control systems and accounting meet various stakeholder demands and expectations, provides new insights into corporate social sustainability performance in mining companies and the role and implications of sustainability (management) accounting.

Keywords: Mining industry; Stakeholder management; Health and safety; Corporate social sustainability; Leading and lagging indicators; Safety accounting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:arjpps:v:29:y:2016:i:2:p:179-197

DOI: 10.1108/ARJ-04-2015-0062

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