Environmental reporting in developing countries: empirical evidence from Bangladesh

Ataur R. Belal

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Most environmental reporting studies have focused on developed countries. Only a handful number of studies are available on the developing countries, concentrating on the newly industrialized countries and African countries. No studies are available from South Asia except the widely quoted one of Singh and Ahuja (1983). Against this background, it is argued that an empirical study on environmental reporting practices in Bangladesh would make a significant contribution to the environmental reporting literature from the context of developing countries in general, and South Asian countries in particular. The study covers 30 recent annual reports of Bangladeshi companies relating to the year 1996. It shows that very limited environmental disclosure has been made. Although we have noted that 90% of companies made some environmental disclosures, the percentage of companies disclosing environmental information comes down to only 20 if we exclude disclosure related to expenditure on energy usage. In general, the quantity and the quality of disclosures seem to be inadequate and poor as compared to the environmental disclosures in the developed countries. The study concludes with an urge for further research in this regard.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)114-121
Number of pages8
JournalEco-Management and Auditing
Volume7
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2000

Keywords

  • developed countries
  • newly industrialized countries
  • Bangladesh
  • developing countries
  • South Asian countries
  • environmental reporting

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