Factors Influencing Social-environmental Responsibilities Disclosures in Financial Reports of Kenyan Listed Firms

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine the factors influencing the social-environmental responsibilities disclosures in Annual financial reports of Kenyan listed firms. Social environmental responsibilities disclosures are voluntary therefore disclosed at the discretion of management and has been identified by various studies to improve image, reputation, enhance accountability, legitimacy and help manage stakeholders. Some studies have also shown that financial factors, governance characteristics, ownership characteristics and stakeholders, influence the extent of these disclosures, hence this study examined how the level of social environmental responsibilities disclosures in financial reports of Kenya listed firms is influenced by their size, profitability and leverage. Descriptive research design was used and secondary data was collected from 2009 to 2018 annual reports of 45 out of 48 targeted companies listed prior to 2009. The dependent variable is extent of disclosure is measured on total score from 39 disclosure items each with a rating between ‘0’ to ‘3’ based on absence and the degree of specificity or detail. The disclosure items was developed guided by Global Reporting Initiative index. STATA version 12 software was used to analyze the significance of the factors on level of Social environmental responsibilities disclosures. Exploratory, descriptive, diagnostic analysis were performed and the results showed that factors of firm’s size, leverage were positively significant and profitability is negatively significant in influencing the disclosure of social environmental responsibilities information on financial reports of Kenyan listed firms.