Investigating Sustainability Reporting from the Lens of Stakeholder Pressures and Isomorphism

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study applied an engagement-based approach, in which data has been gathered through interviews and a review of relevant documents of sustainability information for a selected “champion” Malaysian company. Interviews were conducted with officers who are responsible for company’s sustainability, operational and financial matters. The prominent stakeholder pressures concerning sustainability reporting discovered include NGOs, foreign buyers, competitors, shareholders, RSPO requirements, and the management. Accordingly, the coercive form of pressure is found as the primary source of isomorphic pressure followed by mimetic and normative pressures. These findings offer insights pertaining to the essential strategies for sustainability reporting from an environmentally-sensitive industry.