The driver factors of CSR web-based disclosure: a cross country study and evidence from Jordan and Saudi Arabia

This study represents an important cross-country study that investigates the determinants of CSR web reporting in two developing countries namely, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The primary data of the study were manually collected from companies' websites in the year 2020. This study finds that in Jordan, contrary to Saudi Arabia, a larger board size and the presence of an audit committee can encourage companies to deliver more CSR web-based disclosure. The presence of a CSR committee, on the other hand, is likely to have a positive impact on the level of CSR web-based disclosure in both countries. In addition, in Jordan and Saudi Arabia, large companies are found to deliver more CSR. However, firm profitability is not associated with the level of online CSR reporting and its dimensions in both countries. Moreover, being leveraged is not an incentive for more online CSR reporting in Jordan while, on the other hand, a reduction in firms leverage is likely to be followed by more online CSR in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, neither company age nor liquidity is associated with CSR online reporting in both Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Moreover, in both countries, environmentally sensitive companies are found to adhere to more CSR web-based disclosure.