The Role of Technology in Integrated Reporting: Practical Insights from the 2020 Framework Revision Consultation

Abstract

The Chapter highlights the role of technology for the development of integrated reporting practices and delineates its contribution towards the achievement of this advanced form of corporate accountability. To do so, the analysis relies on the public consultation launched in 2020 by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) aimed at the revision of the International <IR> Framework. Despite technology not directly being included in the revision process, questions about its possible linkages towards the enhancement of integrated reporting have been posed and have informed the future strategic directions of the IIRC. It has been observed that although the vast majority of stakeholders claim for a more central role of technology, concerns still remain on how it can fit with the ‘entity-specific’ approach that this reporting practice derives from. To put it differently, the IIRC faces a paradox, the more and more pressing need to move towards a larger role of technology in the various phases of preparation, dissemination and usage of integrated reporting may produce a series of unintended consequences on its characteristics, and, namely, its corporate specificity and “tailor-made” features. Hence, the evolution of this topic results to be of particular interest, also considering the fast developments that are occurring at a European level.