Achieving corporate carbon neutrality: A multi-perspective framework

The objective of this study is to analyze the corporate disclosures related to carbon neutrality in the agri-food sector using several complementary theoretical lenses. A qualitative content analysis of climate disclosures made by 135 food and beverage companies shows numerous gaps in the information they provide about carbon emission monitoring, the setting of net-zero emission targets, carbon footprint reduction, and offsetting practices. Taken together, these seriously undermine the credibility of the data disclosed. However, the proliferation of opaque information, unclear targets, and poorly defined concepts on carbon neutrality cannot be explained solely by greenwashing practices. Interpreting the results using functionalist, critical, and postmodernist perspectives leads to different conclusions about the underlying reasons for the lack of transparency in disclosures and offers a broader perspective on corporate carbon neutralization practices. This study makes important contributions to the literature on corporate carbon disclosure and the ideology of numbers that characterizes sustainability reporting. It also responds to calls from a variety of stakeholders for more scrutiny of corporate climate performance. The practical implications of the study and avenues for future research are also discussed.