Empirical Evidence on Current Integrated Reporting Practices

Abstract

Due to the emerging nature of Integrated Reporting, little is known about how companies are preparing their reports. In order to reduce this gap of knowledge, the chapter aims at analyzing the content and quality of the 2013 and 2009 integrated annual reports of the companies engaging in the Pilot Program Business Network of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) in order to assess the degree of compliance with the IIRC Framework in 2013 and the evolution of IR disclosure quality from 2009 to 2013. The research findings highlight a certain resistance from the companies to adhere to the spirit of IR, although the judgment of overall compliance should be considered positive both in absolute terms, as well as compared to the 2009 results.