Identifying material aspects and boundaries for sustainability reporting: Case studies in Czech corporations

Abstract

Appropriately identify significant aspects can be seen as a significant important task in performing sustainable activities and preparing sustainable reports. Currently, GRI issues G4 guidelines to instruct organization in this main task. This paper examines the Czech companies which have identified these material aspects by applying G4, then evaluates how firms perform and disclose information regarding to this topic. From that, successful and failure in implementing G4 guidelines can be revealed. The research focuses on real cases of six Czech firms that comply with G4 in 2014 and 2015. The research firstly examines the guidelines content for identifying material aspects. Then, these companies' sustainable reports are observed to investigate how firms define and disclose material aspects. Comparison in determining sustainable measures between companies' preparation and guidelines, and between companies in different sectors are performed to provide better understanding for implementing GRI guides in corporations for other companies. After the evaluation, the paper found that even though all firms declared that they are in accordance with G4, the quality of information is not consistent. Only one firm had proper disclosure while these other fives totally neglected the guidelines, or just applied some main standard disclosures according to G4 guidelines regarding to this subject.