This book provides a broad overview of how sustainability reporting has grown, how it is used now and where it is heading.
Daily, we read and hear in various media about concepts such as corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability reporting, sustainability accounting, environmental reports, corporate citizenship or environmental management systems. Accounting for Sustainability decodes this terminology by providing an accessible introduction to the topic that explores sustainability reporting from an internal and external perspective. It begins with an overview of how sustainability reporting has emerged and why it is important, before moving on to cover definitions of key terms and specific theories and frameworks. Subsequent chapters explore the role of financial management, sustainability standards, accounting communication and capital markets.
With learning outcomes and study questions embedded in each chapter, this book will be of great interest to students of sustainability reporting and accounting, as well as practitioners taking related professional accreditations.
PART I: Background and Theoretical Perspective
1. Accounting for Sustainability: Historical Development of the Field
Gunnar Rimmel
2. Theories of Accounting for Sustainability
Gunnar Rimmel & Kristina Jonäll
PART II: Accounting for Sustainability in Practice: Internal Perspective
3. Management Accounting and Control for Sustainability
Peter Beusch
4. Integrating Management Accounting and Control for Sustainability
Peter Beusch
5. Towards a more Sustainable and Integrated Performance Management
Matti Skoog
6. Sustainability Management Systems and Processes
Gunnar Rimmel
PART III: Reporting Sustainability: From Internal to External Perspective
7. Triple Bottom Line
Berit Hartmann
8. Global Reporting Initiative
Gunnar Rimmel
9. Integrated Reporting
Gunnar Rimmel
10. Accounting Communication for Sustainability
Svetlana Sabelfeld
PART IV: Capital Market and Audit: External Perspective
11. Sustainability Reporting from a Financial Market Perspective
Susanne Arvidsson
12. Socially Responsible Investment
Gunnar Rimmel
13. Sustainability Audit and Assurance
Gunnar Rimmel
14. Critical Reflections and Future Developments
Gunnar Rimmel et al.
Biography
Gunnar Rimmel is Chair in Accounting and Corporate Reporting and Director of the Henley Centre for Accounting Research and Practice (HARP) at Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK. He is also a member of the Centre for Social and Environmental Research (CSEAR) Executive Council, European Accounting Association (EAA) Stakeholder Reporting Committee, and of the British Accounting and Finance Association – Financial Accounting and Reporting Special Interest Group (FARSIG) Council as well as member of the EFRAG European Lab Project Task Force on reporting of non-financial risks and opportunities and linkage to the business model (PTF-RNFRO).
"Accounting for Sustainability is an excellent contribution for education, offering a wide-ranging textbook reflecting the major ideas and theoretical aspects of the current sustainability agenda from an accounting perspective. This is a very useful book for students as well as practitioners." – Charles H. Cho, Professor of Accounting, Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto, Canada; CSEAR Executive Council & Chair of the CSEAR International Associates Committee
"As the world faces growing challenges around climate change, deforestation, habitat loss and a whole range of anthropogenic threats to people and planet, Accounting for Sustainability becomes ever more relevant and important. This book is a welcome addition to the sustainability literature, neatly summarising theory and practice from internal, management accounting for sustainability, to external sustainability reporting and integrated reporting, and their relationship with financial markets. An excellent read for students at all levels and practitioners." -- Jill Atkins, Chair in Financial Management, Sheffield University Management School, University of Sheffield, UK; Chair BAFA SIG Corporate Governance
"At a time when stakeholder reporting and non-financial disclosures are a must for corporate reporting, this book is a much-needed support not only for academics who are teaching sustainability reporting modules, but also for practitioners who would like to get a clear overview of the sustainability reporting landscape. It conveniently connects theory and practice, without losing rigour. The four parts into which the book is divided provide an interesting perspective from inside companies to external reporting to stakeholders." -- Begoña Giner, Facultad d´Economia, Universitat de Valencia, Spain; Chair EAA Stakeholder Reporting Committee
"This book provides a holistic overview on the ever-evolving ESG and a Green Finance landscape. It captures key developments in the space and offers extremely useful insights. Industry practitioners will benefit from the broad range of extra-financial perspectives, concepts, frameworks and tools, presented in a comprehensive manner and style." -- Martina Macpherson, Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships & Engagement, MISA (ESG) at Moody’s Investors Service; President of the Network for Sustainable Financial Partners (NSFM), UK
"Over the past 30 years sustainability has become increasingly important to accounting, both to business practice and in academia. Accounting for Sustainability is a textbook that has been long needed for teaching sustainability in accounting modules at undergraduate as well as graduate level. This book explores a variety of challenges for companies and interested stakeholders providing a comprehensive review of core concepts and frameworks that are prominent reshaping the current world of accounting." -- Diogenis Baboukardos, Lecturer in Accounting at the University of Essex, Essex Business School, UK; Board Member of the British Accounting & Finance Association’s Financial Accounting and Reporting Special Interest Group
