The Way Forward for the Integration of Sustainability Standards

Large-scale environmental failures within public companies in the United States have led to a globally growing trend in stakeholder insistence that company leaders maintain formal integrated sustainability accounting in their financial reports. Companies that rate high on communications of their sustainability efforts and integrating corporate social responsibility develop investment efficiency and ultimately increase their financial performance. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies 5 chief sustainability officers within publicly held companies in New York can integrate into their annual reporting in order to generate maximum value for stakeholders. Data were collected through semistructured individual interviews and sustainability reports. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The 5 themes that emerged from the analysis were: a priority on disclosure, standardization and compliance, performance data collection and metrics, management communication and review, and stakeholder engagement. A key recommendation is for regulators to enact a mandated standardization for environmental, social and governance factors into an integrated annual report. The implications for social change include better access to healthcare, improved communities, employee engagement, increased diversity, ethical behavior, and conduct, as well as environmental stewardship with key efforts on reporting carbon footprints