Abstract

Sustainability reporting is standard practice for large and mid-cap global companies. Sustainability reports are voluntary in nature and are used by companies to report on their sustainability activities to investors and other stakeholders. The supplier diversity disclosure is common amongst sustainability reports; however, current standards provide limited guidance on the information that is pertinent to the users of the information. Supplier diversity and inclusion is an important strategic business initiative, and yet the topic has garnered little attention in academic research. To further examine this topic, I conduct three studies examining the topic using multiple methods. The first study presents a content analysis that examines the content of supplier diversity disclosures against GRI Reporting Standards. In general, the disclosures adhere to the guidance recommended in the standards; however, the guidance is vague, the information varies between companies and is difficult to compare. The disclosures are a step in the right direction, but unfortunately further guidance is needed to strengthen the content of the disclosures and increase the number of companies that report this information. The second study uses Critical Race Theory as a lens to explore supplier diversity disclosures and initiatives that can be used to facilitate change in the social-economic status of diverse suppliers and the communities they serve. The theory supports a broad understanding of issues surrounding supplier diversity with the focus being on the minority perspective. Supplier diversity programs are effective and allow companies to economically empower disadvantage communities; however, empowerment should not be compartmentalized to one aspect of the business. Study three presents an adaptation of the Theory of Planned Behavior to assess and predict the impact of supplier diversity disclosures on investor decision-making in an experimental setting. The model presented in this study uses theory and constructs from cognitive psychology and theorizes that the quality of information included in the disclosure, as well as individual and information-specific factors, influence investor judgments and decisions. This study provides empirical evidence that retail investors have positive attitudes towards supplier diversity disclosures and value this information for their investment decisions. The results reveal the model and associated constructs presented in the study can predict investor behavior.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2021

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Libby, Theresa

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Business Administration

Degree Program

Business Administration; Accounting

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0008668;DP0025399

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0025399

Language

English

Release Date

8-15-2022

Length of Campus-only Access

1 year

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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Accounting Commons

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