Disclosure of the six capitals in strategy, risk and performance sections: Evidence from South Africa

Purpose: This article assesses the integration of multi-capitals in the strategy, risk and performance disclosures in 240 integrated reports of 30 South African-listed companies between 2013 and 2020.

Design/methodology/approach: A disclosure checklist is developed interpretively, based on prior literature dealing with integrated reporting and thinking. A qualitative content analysis was conducted to evaluate the level of detail of multi-capital disclosures in the strategy, risk and performance sections of the sampled companies’ integrated reports. Descriptive trends are discussed, and non-parametric tests were conducted to explore associations between the grouping variables (year, industry and market capitalisation) and level of detail and capital presence, respectively.

Findings/results: Companies are increasingly adopting a multi-capital approach to risk management, decision-making, strategies and operations and are disclosing the inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes in their integrated reports. The disclosure of multi-capital outcomes increases as an integrated logic takes hold in the companies. Significant positive associations were evident between the level of detail and the grouping variables. On average, companies included between four and six capitals in all integrated report sections. Financial capital and social and relationship capital were most prominent. Natural capital was the least referenced.

Practical implications: This article provides companies with a practical method to evaluate and enhance their integrated reporting strategies focussing on a holistic adoption of multi-capitals in strategy, risk and performance sections.

Originality/value: The longitudinal nature of the study, can add to the growing body of research on integrated thinking and reporting, particularly from a developing economy perspective.