Page 162 - Fink Babič, Sonja, Borut Kodrič, Roberto Biloslavo. 2018. Indeks okoljske uspešnosti in okoljsko poročanje podjetij predelovalne dejavnosti v Republiki Sloveniji. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem.
P. 162
Indeks okoljske uspešnosti in okoljsko poročanje podjetij predelovalne dejavnosti
nies within a particular industry or only among those companies, which
are very similar to each other, in terms of type of production, and conse-
quently the spectrum of emissions that companies discard into the envi-
ronment are consistent. In determining the correlation between the en-
vironmental performance and quality of environmental reporting, such
a specific index of environmental performance would pose difficulties re-
lated to environmental reporting. The reason for this is that smaller com-
panies in Slovenia should also be included in the sample, due to the need
for a sufficient number of companies in the sample (with appropriate pro-
duction and pollution), in addition to larger and medium-sized ones. Yet,
the conclusions found in the literature indicate that size is an essential
factor that affects the quality of environmental reports. Based on the re-
sults of our research on the low quality of environmental reports between
162 large and medium-sized Slovenian companies, we would reasonably ex-
pect that smaller companies show an even lower quality. Thus, the pos-
sibility of researching a correlation based on such a sample of companies
would be questionable.
We also tried to establish whether companies, who adopted
ISO 14001, were environmentally more successful, i.e. whether the qual-
ity of their environmental reports was higher. According to the results of
the analysis, companies with a granted environmental certificate could
not be correlated with a higher environmental performance indicated
by the Index of Environmental Performance. However, we succeeded in
proving a close connection between the applied environmental standard,
ISO 14001, and the quality of environmental reports in these companies.
Based on the results of our studies, we concluded that the most important
factor that encourages companies to publish environmental information
in their annual reports is their focus to meet the increased expectation of
the public in regards to the company’s environmental efforts as a result of
the granted environmental certificate. Consequently, the increased qual-
ity of environmental reports of companies with the adopted ISO 14001
certificate is the response to expectations of public, and not a reflection of
the actual environmental performance of companies. Therefore, we can
confirm a part of socio-political theories about social and environmen-
tal disclosures according to which the extent and comprehensiveness of
environmental reporting is a function of exposure of the company to ex-
pectations, i.e. to the pressure of the public in a social and political envi-
ronment.
Based on the results, we also concluded that a reason for the defi-
ciency of companies’ reporting on their environmental impact should be
nies within a particular industry or only among those companies, which
are very similar to each other, in terms of type of production, and conse-
quently the spectrum of emissions that companies discard into the envi-
ronment are consistent. In determining the correlation between the en-
vironmental performance and quality of environmental reporting, such
a specific index of environmental performance would pose difficulties re-
lated to environmental reporting. The reason for this is that smaller com-
panies in Slovenia should also be included in the sample, due to the need
for a sufficient number of companies in the sample (with appropriate pro-
duction and pollution), in addition to larger and medium-sized ones. Yet,
the conclusions found in the literature indicate that size is an essential
factor that affects the quality of environmental reports. Based on the re-
sults of our research on the low quality of environmental reports between
162 large and medium-sized Slovenian companies, we would reasonably ex-
pect that smaller companies show an even lower quality. Thus, the pos-
sibility of researching a correlation based on such a sample of companies
would be questionable.
We also tried to establish whether companies, who adopted
ISO 14001, were environmentally more successful, i.e. whether the qual-
ity of their environmental reports was higher. According to the results of
the analysis, companies with a granted environmental certificate could
not be correlated with a higher environmental performance indicated
by the Index of Environmental Performance. However, we succeeded in
proving a close connection between the applied environmental standard,
ISO 14001, and the quality of environmental reports in these companies.
Based on the results of our studies, we concluded that the most important
factor that encourages companies to publish environmental information
in their annual reports is their focus to meet the increased expectation of
the public in regards to the company’s environmental efforts as a result of
the granted environmental certificate. Consequently, the increased qual-
ity of environmental reports of companies with the adopted ISO 14001
certificate is the response to expectations of public, and not a reflection of
the actual environmental performance of companies. Therefore, we can
confirm a part of socio-political theories about social and environmen-
tal disclosures according to which the extent and comprehensiveness of
environmental reporting is a function of exposure of the company to ex-
pectations, i.e. to the pressure of the public in a social and political envi-
ronment.
Based on the results, we also concluded that a reason for the defi-
ciency of companies’ reporting on their environmental impact should be
