Hållbarhetsrapportering utifrån GRI Standards : En kvantitativ studie om prioritering av ämnesspecifika upplysningar hos svenska företag i enlighet med GRI Standards

Sammanfattning: Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine whether the prioritization of subject-specific disclosures in Swedish companies' sustainability reports, which report in accordance with GRI Standards, is in line with previous research where GRI standards have been investigated. Theory: The theoretical frame of reference for the study is formed around legitimacy theory, stakeholder theory and institutional theory. Sustainability reporting is a part of the legitimacy-creating activities that are relevant to the explicit as well as implicit demands on companies in society, and companies in similar industries may tend to imitate or resembleeach other by isomorphism. Method: A quantitative research method is used and together with a content analysis meansto study how sector affiliation affects the prioritization of subject-specific disclosures. The priority measurements used in the study are the topic areas Economy, Environment and Social, which are measured through companies’ materiality analysis and GRI-index. The final sample for the study consists of all companies that reported sustainability in accordance with GRI Standards in 2019 in Sweden after sample-loss, which resulted in a total of 72 companiesand 20 sectors. Collection of empirical data has been produced using the GRI Sustainability Disclosure Database. Conclusion: The empirical results indicate a connection between sector affiliation and companies' choice of subject-specific disclosures in Sweden, where at least one of three disclosures must be prioritized for the sustainability report to be prepared in accordance with GRI Standards. The GRI Standards GRI-index and materiality analysis clarify which subjectarea is prioritized. The study shows that the sector division Financial services prioritizes economic sustainability, Transport, communication and services prioritizes social sustainability and the remaining sector divisions prioritize environmental sustainability. The results are largely in line with previous research that examined GRI standards, where similar results regarding this connection have been demonstrated.