Accounting for Sustainability

This book provides a broad overview of how sustainability reporting has grown, how it is used now and where it is heading.

Daily, we read and hear in various media about concepts such as corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability reporting, sustainability accounting, environmental reports, corporate citizenship or environmental management systems. Accounting for Sustainability decodes this terminology by providing an accessible introduction to the topic that explores sustainability reporting from an internal and external perspective. It begins with an overview of how sustainability reporting has emerged and why it is important, before moving on to cover definitions of key terms and specific theories and frameworks. Subsequent chapters explore the role of financial management, sustainability standards, accounting communication and capital markets.

With learning outcomes and study questions embedded in each chapter, this book will be of great interest to students of sustainability reporting and accounting, as well as practitioners taking related professional accreditations.

PART 1: Background and Theoretical Perspective 1. Accounting for Sustainability 2. Theories of Accounting for Sustainability PART 2: Accounting for Sustainability in Practice 3. Management Accounting and Control for Sustainability 4. Integrating Management Accounting and Control for Sustainability 5. Towards a more Sustainable and Integrated Performance Management 6. Sustainability Management Systems and Processes PART 3: Reporting Sustainability 7. Triple Bottom Line 8. Global Reporting Initiative 9. Integrated Reporting 10. Accounting Communication for Sustainability PART 4: Capital Market and Audit 11.Sustainability Reporting from a Financial Market Perspective 12. Socially Responsible Investment 13. Sustainability Audit and Assurance 14. Critical Reflections and Future Developments

Gunnar Rimmel is Chair in Accounting and Corporate Reporting and Director of the Henley Centre for Accounting Research and Practice (HARP) at Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK. He is also a member of the Centre for Social and Environmental Research (CSEAR) Executive Council, European Accounting Association (EAA) Stakeholder Reporting Committee, and of the British Accounting and Finance Association – Financial Accounting and Reporting Special Interest Group (FARSIG) Council as well as member of the EFRAG European Lab Project Task Force on reporting of non-financial risks and opportunities and linkage to the business model (PTF-RNFRO).