The Innovative Forms of Corporate Responsibility Disclosure: The Sustainability Reporting and the Use of Social Media

Purpose - Even though the sustainability reporting forms have been extensively studied, little is known about the diffusion of online technologies and the use of social media. Thus, the aim of this paper is to analyse the extent to which the Italian listed companies are using innovative disclosure forms, such as online technologies and social media initiatives, in comparison with social and environmental reports for disclosing corporate responsibility. Design/methodology/approach - This paper builds on an empirical analysis on the corporate responsibility disclosure forms used by the Italian listed companies. This is a pilot study that provides evidence on the use of innovative corporate disclosure forms to disseminate corporate responsibility. Originality/value - This study contributes to the corporate disclosure literature by examining the adoption of innovative forms for disclosing corporate responsibility in Italy. The analysis provides an overview on the diffusion of sustainability reporting and social media usage to foster corporate responsibility. Practical implications - The analysis shows that the social media usage to disclose corporate responsibility is in a very early stage. These results could be useful for both academics and practitioners that need some initial and reliable background data on this new situation.