Firms-specific sustainability reporting among Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed companies : do IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 matter?

Abstract

This study investigates whether the ISSB sustainability requirements are going to result in a major change in terms of ESG disclosures among the JSE-listed companies. Quantitative content analysis employed. It was underpinned by the positivist paradigm. Secondary data was gathered from the sustainability reports of the top 40 JSE-listed companies based on their market capitalization. Reports spanning 2022-2023. Robustness analysis was entirely performed using descriptive statistics with the aid of STATA. Results reveal that the level of sustainability-related disclosure is not significantly different from ISSB requirements prior to the effective date of IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 (M = 67%). Furthermore, there is an 81% level of disclosure on governance, 43% level of disclosure on strategy, 100% level of disclosure on risk management, and 93% level of disclosure on metrics and targets. This indicates that these companies require more work on strategy to align themselves with ISSB requirements. The study results can aid policymakers, accounting bodies, and regulators in understanding sustainability-related disclosures, harmonizing frameworks, and providing a robust research agenda for future research.