Corporate sustainability reporting

This is a conceptual paper that addresses fundamental questions about the emerging field of corporate sustainability reporting, including the following: What is sustainability? Why does sustainability matter to corporations and to those affected by corporate activity? What comprises sustainability reporting and how does it relate to conventional financial reporting? What is the role of reporting standards? What is a ‘theory of change’ by which sustainability reporting makes a difference? In addressing these questions, the paper draws from the academic literature yet is focused on policy implications and practical application, with the ambition of bringing together critical issues that call for understanding and development.