Géraldine Riviere-Giordano

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine whether different levels of assurance statements of environmental disclosures affect investment choices in the French context where environmental assurance was voluntary until 2012 and became regulated and mandatory since then.,The authors conducted an experiment during the voluntary context – which represents the vast majority of countries – on a sample of 108 financial analysts.,Environmental disclosure has a positive impact on investment recommendations. More surprisingly, financial analysts are less likely to give recommendations in favor of a company that displays environmental disclosure with low-level assurance than for a company with no assurance statement at all.,When assurance is voluntary and there are at least two levels, this study results suggest that firms should avoid selecting the lowest level of assurance because it negatively affects investor decisions. From this perspective, firms should devote sufficient effort and resources to obtain at least Level 2 environmental disclosure assurance.,Given the recommendations made by financial analysts, the authors could expect that firms may prefer to engage in a higher level of assurance or to provide no assurance rather than minimize their financial efforts and resources to select a lower level of voluntary assurance regarding environmental disclosure.,This study has implications for the voluntary assurance practices of environmental disclosure and can provide support to regulators to promote higher standards in environmental assurance. It documents the relevance to increase the level of requested assurance for environmental disclosure.,To the best of the authors’ knowledge, very few studies have examined the additional effect of assurance on environmental disclosure in investors’ decisions. The experiment is conducted with financial analysts in the context of voluntary assurance.

Abstract: L’objectif de cet article est de proposer un etat de l’art sur le theme de la verification societale (VS). Une analyse exhaustive des recherches relatives a la VS a abouti a un recensement de 56 articles publies dans 33 revues, sur la periode 1985-2015. Les principaux questionnements portent sur les cadres theoriques de reference et les problematiques qui s’y referent, a savoir la justification du recours a une VS, les normes de reference, le profil du verificateur, ainsi que l’utilite et la qualite de cette pratique. L’analyse chronologique et de contenu de ces articles revele qu’ils sont prioritairement publies dans des revues comptables et qu’ils traduisent une evolution dans la terminologie employee. Cette revue de litterature traduit encore une coherence entre les sujets abordes, les cadres theoriques mobilises et les methodologies employees. Un courant de recherche qui critique les cadres theoriques contractuels et institutionnels a emerge et montre que le management detourne l’interet de la VS a son avantage, au detriment des autres parties prenantes. L’insuffisante prise en compte de ces parties prenantes suggere un enjeu managerial majeur et une piste de recherche prioritaire.

Abstract: Cet article propose une lecture conceptuelle de la coexistence de deux pratiques relativement recentes, celle du reporting societal et celle de la publication des comptes en normes IFRS. Dans un premier temps, par l’analyse des cadres theoriques de la divulgation societale, les auteurs identifient l’expression de deux logiques sous-jacentes: une logique de la transaction et une logique de la valeur. Dans un second temps, ils font le lien entre ces logiques et les theories normatives de la comptabilite. Cet eclairage conduit a concevoir le reporting societal comme une consequence nouvelle et sans doute inattendue de la financiarisation accrue de l’economie.

Abstract: The notion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has gradually spread among all companies. However CSR skills are not always present within companies, particularly among the smaller ones (Caron and al. 2006 and Caron and Fortin 2014). Thus the question is how to support these companies in implementing CSR policies. Support from a professional seems necessary. A chartered accountant could play an important part in raising awareness and helping to implement CSR practices among small companies (Medley 1997; Reyes 2001; Caron and al. 2006; Caron and Fortin 2014). The purpose of this article is to shed light on the CSR actions implemented by accountants within their firm and with their SME clients and to identify the reasons justifying these actions. To answer the research question, an exploratory qualitative study (semistructured interviews) was conducted among accountants. It appears that some accounting firms implement CSR practices and provide advice to their clients in this area. The main reasons for this dynamic include accountants' beliefs, customers' values and expectations as well as the desire to improve the firms' performance.

Abstract: Cet article propose d'interpreter les logiques de reporting societal a la lumiere des cadres normatifs comptables. Dans une premiere partie, nous rappelons les principaux arguments qui justifient l'integration du reporting societal dans les dispositifs de communication financiere des entreprises cotees. L'analyse des cadres theoriques classiques de la publication d'informations societales (theories contractuelles et theorie de la legitimite) conduisent a identifier deux logiques de communication : une « logique de la valeur » et une « logique de la transaction ». Dans une seconde partie, nous explicitons de quelle maniere ces logiques correspondent aux approches conceptuelles de la comptabilite. La logique de la valeur s'inscrit dans une conception statique de la comptabilite et la logique de la transaction s'inscrit dans une approche dynamique de la comptabilite.

Abstract: In 2001, France became one of the few countries to require corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting through its Nouvelles Regulations Economiques #2001-420 (NRE). However, initial compliance with the statute was low, a factor implying the law lacked normativity. In this exploratory study, we attempt to determine whether there is movement toward normativity by examining the change in CSR disclosure from 2004 in comparison to 2010 for a sample of 81 publicly traded French firms. We measure both the space and the quality of CSR disclosures, including in the latter a measure based on informational quality attributes as discussed by the International Accounting Standards Board, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and the Global Reporting Initiative. We find significant increases in the space allocated to CSR disclosure, as well as some evidence of increased quality; although the informational quality of the disclosures remains quite low and fewer firms are including negative performance information in their reports. Finally, we document that differences in disclosure space and quality in 2004 appeared to be associated with legitimacy-based variables and that those relations remain largely unchanged in 2010. As such, it appears that the NRE’s goals of increased transparency remain unmet.

Abstract: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) facilitates increased innovation and enhanced reputation and business performance. Small and medium-sized enterprises are commonly acknowledged to be a driver of economic growth, so these firms’ CSR and the competitive advantages it generates are of great interest. This study examined whether corporate managers’ positive predisposition toward CSR initiatives explains their companies’ level of innovation, achieved performance, competitive success, and reputation. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze a sample of 109 companies operating in Spain’s Autonomous Community of Extremadura. The results confirm that companies generally have a favorable orientation toward CSR and this strategy’s benefits include developing and improving firms’ reputation.

Abstract: Les thematiques de la Responsabilite Societale des Entreprises (RSE) ont connu recemment des developpements considerables, tant sur le point de vue managerial, que sur le point de vue academique. Cette these s'interesse particulierement aux indicateurs de performance relevant de la RSE. Les investigations theoriques et empiriques menees permettent de conclure que les entreprises mettent en place, de plus en plus, des indicateurs specifiques pour mesurer et piloter une performance organisationnelle elargie. Cette mise en place repond a plusieurs contraintes et facteurs, mais c'est surtout le besoin de se legitimer et de s'institutionnaliser qui explique le mieux l'adoption de cette pratique. Neanmoins, cette derniere souffre encore de plusieurs faiblesses, telles que la grande difficulte a fixer des objectifs chiffres sur les dimensions de la RSE, ou encore le manque de motivation et d'implication de certains acteurs du systeme. Ces faiblesses font egalement que le controle exerce dans les entreprises, a travers les indicateurs de la RSE, est avant tout un controle social cherchant davantage a impliquer et a socialiser qu'a evaluer et a sanctionner.

Abstract: Purpose – In France, an application decree from February 2002 enumerates a series of operational indicators that companies must offer, including a number of accounting and financial items. The information expected notably includes working time organisation, gender equality, health and safety, disability policies, subcontractor arrangements, water, raw material and energy consumption and biodiversity efforts. The present study aims to account for the diversity of the social and environmental information that companies supply by focusing on three stakeholder categories: suppliers; customers; and employees. It also seeks to highlight possible variations among different sectors of activity; influence of three pillars of sustainability (economic, social and environmental); timeframe (short‐term, long‐term, analytical); and type of discourse (situational or action variables).Design/methodology/approach – Based on 40 French companies as a qualitative approach, the purpose of the present communication is to offer...