Mirjana Hladika
Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Trg J.F. Kennedy 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Eugen Lacković
KPMG, Ivana Lučića 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/EMAN.2019.383
3rd International Scientific Conference – EMAN 2019 – Economics and Management: How to Cope With Disrupted Times, Ljubljana – Slovenia, March 28, 2019, CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS published by: Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans, Belgrade, Serbia; Faculty of Management Koper, Slovenia; Doba Business School – Maribor, Slovenia; Integrated Business Faculty – Skopje, Macedonia; Faculty of Management – Zajecar, Serbia, ISBN 978-86-80194-17-2, ISSN 2683-4510
Abstract:
Strong competition in all segments of the economy requires companies to adapt more quickly to market demands and market participants. In such an environment, companies are required to adapt the decision-making and management process. At the same time, stakeholders demand a wider range of information for making business decisions. The public is increasingly loud and emphasizes the awareness and the need for corporate social responsibility, the need for environmental protection and human rights. In order that all stakeholders (investors, creditors, suppliers, current and future employees and others) will have a more complete insight into the operations of a particular company, beside financial reporting, the non-financial reporting is becoming more and more important. Non-financial information enables different stakeholders to see more clearly the impact of a company’s operations on society as a whole, the environment, and the economy within which it operates, apropos to create a clearer picture of how each individual company creates value. Non-financial information, along with financial information, represents a more quality information base for short, medium and long-term
business decisions. In order to regulate the non-financial reporting, the European Commission by Directive 2014/95/EU has prescribed the preparation of the non-financial report for certain entities for the reporting periods beginning on 1 January 2017. In that effect, the aim of this paper was to investigate whether the changes in regulatory requirements for the disclosures of financial and non-financial information affected a more transparent and comprehensive presentation of information about the companies’ business. The research was conducted on the basis of the analysis of secondary data sources, primarily published non-financial information on the company’s website and in their annual reports. Research sample consists of five companies from five different EU countries. Published secondary data were analyzed in qualitative and quantitative terms using comparative and compilation methods and methods of analysis and synthesis. The research results showed that non-financial reporting was not standardized, and that the introduction of legal obligation for non-financial reporting did not affect the scope and presentation of non-financial information. The main reason for this research results can be the fact that the observed companies, already before the introduction of this obligation, realized the significance and importance of non-financial reporting.
Keywords:
Non-financial reporting, Directive 2014/95/EU, Transparency of business, Corporate social responsibility
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