Explaining Accountability Through Social and Environmental Accounting Practice in Ethiopia
Author(s)
Sitina Akmel Surur , Kirubel Asegdew Yimenu , Kasu Birbirsa Beji ,
Download Full PDF Pages: 68-77 | Views: 919 | Downloads: 287 | DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3510048
Abstract
Most of the developed countries have made socio-economic developments through industrialization; however, a high level of industrial development is not always appended by social and environmental responsibility, which is an important element of company’s sustainability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the social and environmental accounting practice and accountability of large taxpayer companies in Ethiopia. Stakeholder and legitimacy theories were used to explain the relationship between companies and their environment in terms of accountability. This study adopted survey research design in which data were collected by questionnaire, interview and focused group discussion from 262 companies. The analysis revealed that accountability was the main driving factor behind the companies social and environmental reporting; however, motives other than accountability also conceived. Furthermore, the result indicated partial consistency with both legitimacy and stakeholder theories.
Keywords
Social and environmental accounting, Accountability, Stakeholder theory, Legitimacy theory
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