Environmental disclosure by Indian companies: an empirical study

Abstract

This study examines the extent and the quality of environmental disclosure made by Indian companies using legitimacy theory. Content analysis of 137 companies' annual reports for the years 2011-2012 and 2014-2015 finds that (a) the extent of disclosure and the quality of disclosure have increased over the two-year period (though the increase is not statistically significant), (b) quality is largely descriptive and (c) disclosures vary between industries and within industries. The results of the econometric model suggest that firm-specific characteristics like industry, size, age and foreign customers have significant positive influence on environmental disclosures (extent and quality), while leverage has negative impact on disclosures.