Corporate social responsibility disclosure: a comparison between Islamic and conventional financial institutions.

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of Islam on corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) in Islamic financial institutions (IFIs). Design/methodology/approach – Using the content analysis approach, the paper examines the influences of Islam on CSRD by looking into the annual reports of 21 conventional financial institutions (CFIs) and 21 IFIs operating in the Gulf region. Findings – The results show significant differences in the level and the extent of the disclosure between IFIs and CFIs, largely due to the disclosure made by IFIs of religions related themes and information, including Shari'a supervisory board reports, the “Zakah” and charity donation, and free interest loan. Originality/value – This paper's contribution to the literature is twofold: the paper reveals the actual difference of CSRD between IFIs and non-IFIs, by comparing the disclosures made by IFIs and non-IFIs; and the paper identifies the extent of influence of Islam upon the CSRD of IFIs.