Abstract
This paper investigates the state of the art with respect to sustainability reporting, its linkages with the corporations, internal measurement and monitoring systems and their combined impact on the quality of contemporary sustainability benchmarks, developed by SRI analysts and so-called rating and screening agencies. This research originated from the EU-funded research initiative to create a new generation management framework for corporate sustainability and responsibility (CS-R). The aim of it is to develop a coherent set of assessment –, measurement – and monitoring tools. The sustainability benchmark tool should align the interests of corporations implementing CS-R and various organizations supporting SRI, such as fund managers, analysts and screening agencies. This paper show the essentials features of an actual sustainability benchmark which is currently under construction. This approach will have significance impact on the further development of SRI and CS-R practices, as well as support the development of sustainability reporting standards.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Belal, A. B.: 2002, 'Stakeholder Accountability or Stakeholder Management: A Review of UK Firms' Social and Ethical Accounting, Auditing and Reporting (SEAAR) Practices', Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management 9, 8–25.
CSR Europe, Deloitte, Euronext: 2002, Investing in Responsible Business.
de, S. Hoo.: 2002, 'Company Sustainability and Corporate Rating', in T. Brink (ed.), Guide. Screening and Rating Sustainability. How Companies are Screened and Rated on Sustainability Issues. (Amsterdam).
Figge, F. and T. Hahn.: 2001, Sustainable Value Added – Measuring Corporate Contribution to Sustainability, In the 2001 Business Strategy and the Environment Conference Proceedings (ERP Environment, Shipley), pp. 83–92.
Graafland, J. J.: 2003, Corporate Social Responsibility of Dutch Companies: Benchmarking and Transparency, (Tilburg University).
Jane, M.R e.o.: 2003, 'Socially Responsible Investment in the UK – Criteria that are Used to Evaluate Suitability', Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management 10, 1–11.
Key, S.: Toward a now Theory of the Firm: A Critique of Stakeholder Theory. Management Decisions 37(4), 317–328 (p. 326).
KPMG International Survey, 2002, 'The Numbers of Corporate Reports Investigated Over the Last Ten Years are 247 (1993), 323 (1996) and 456 (1999) Respectively', (Amsterdam).
Kolk, A.: (2002), The Evolution of environmental management: from stage models to performance evaluation, Business Strategy and the Environment 14–31.
Korhonen J.: 2003, 'Should We Measure Corporate Sustainability?' Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management 10, 25–39.
Laszlo, C.: 2002, 'Measuring and Managing Corporate Sustainability', Quarterly Journal of the University of Science and Philosophy.
Morhardt, J. E.: 2002, Scoring Corporate Environmental and Sustainability Reports using GRI 2000, ISO 14031 and Other Criteria', Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management 9, 215–233.
Pensions & Investment Research Consultants Ltd (PIRC).: 2001, Socially Responsible Investment Service. Guidelines (London).
SustainAbility.: 2002, Trust us: The 2002 Global Reporter's Survey of Corporate Sustainability Reporting (London).
UNEP Finance Initiative.: 2003, Innovative Financing for Sustainability.
van den T. W. M. Brink: 2001 and 2003, Voluntary Quality Standards for SRI research
van den T. W. M. Brink: 2002, Guide. Screening and Rating Sustainability. How companies are screened and rated on sustainability issues (Amsterdam).
van den T. W. M. Brink: 2003, Analysts' role in valuing companies', in Investment Pensions Europe (IPE Magazine. Supplement Responsible Investing London) pp. 20–26.
van der F. Woerd and van der T. W. M. Brink: 2004, Feasibility of a Responsive Business Scorecard – A Pilot Study, Journal of Business Ethics.
van M. Marrewijk: 2003, 'Concepts and Definitions of Corporate Sustainability', Journal of Business Ethics.
van M. Marrewijk and T. W. Hardjono: 2003, 'European Corporate Sustainability Framework for Managing Complexity and Corporate Transformation', Journal of Business Ethics.
van M. Marrewijk and M. Were: 2003, Multiple Levels of Corporate Sustainability, Journal of Business Ethics.
Winter, Jaap e. o: 2002, A Modern Regulatory Framework for Company Law in Europe (Brussels).
Wiseman, J.: 1982, 'An Evaluation of Environmental Disclosures Made in Corporate Annual Reports', Accounting Organizations and Society 7, 53–63.
Zingales, F., A. O'Rourke and K. Hockerts: 2002, Balanced Scorecard and Sustainability. State of the Art Review (France, Insead-CMER).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
van den Brink, T.W.M., van der Woerd, F. Industry Specific Sustainability Benchmarks: An ECSF Pilot Bridging Corporate Sustainability with Social Responsible Investments. Journal of Business Ethics 55, 187–203 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-004-1901-2
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-004-1901-2