One Report: Bringing Change in Corporate Reporting through integration of Financial and Non-Financial Performance Disclosure

Abstract

Investment community is understandably preoccupied with determination to bring assured transparency within organization’s operations. To get companies more transparent, and to win stakeholder’s trust, companies need to communicate their actions and level of commitment to incorporate sustainability into every organizational decision. And companies communicate with their stakeholders through issuing various internal and external reports.

This research paper proposes that to bring assured transparency and to win stakeholder trust, companies should integrate financial and non-financial performance reports and thus should produce One Report. The paper presents an annotated literature review which covers conceptual foundations of One Report, drivers, prospective benefits to both stakeholders as well as to companies, and prospective challenges that companies can face in the adoption of One Report. Survey has been conducted to assess important factors that practitioners consider while making judgment about a company, useful metrics to be included in an annual report and prospective benefits on one report. Descriptive statistical techniques are employed and on the basis of findings, it has been discussed that how business schools can incorporate the sustainability topic into the curriculum. A roadmap for adoption of one report has also been suggested. Finally, managerial implications and future research areas have been identified.