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Key research themes
1. How does regulatory transposition and juridification affect the implementation and standardization of social accounting and non-financial reporting within the EU?
This research theme focuses on the legal and institutional processes through which social accounting and non-financial reporting directives, such as the EU Directive 2014/95/EU, are implemented across member states. It matters because although social accounting aims for increased transparency in social and environmental disclosures, national transpositions reveal implementation gaps and variations, affecting harmonization and the quality of social accountability.
Key finding: Moggi, Lehman, and Pagani (2023) find that despite the EU Directive 2014/95/EU's objective to create a common framework for non-financial information disclosure, its transposition across Member States has resulted in... Read more
Key finding: Although this study is geographically focused outside the EU context, it complements the juridification theme by illustrating how social accounting practices remain nascent and inconsistently implemented in developing... Read more
Key finding: This comprehensive review highlights that while social and environmental accounting has gained prominence, its adoption is constrained by professional accounting norms and a prevailing emphasis on financial accountability.... Read more
2. What are the evolving roles and challenges of auditing and assurance in integrating social accounting and non-financial information reporting?
This theme investigates how auditing has expanded from traditional financial verifications to incorporating social and non-financial dimensions. It examines the historical evolution of auditing roles, the technical challenges of verifying non-financial information, and emerging demands for assurance in social accounting. Understanding these developments is crucial to improving the credibility, reliability, and transparency of social and environmental reports.
Key finding: The paper traces auditing’s evolution from a traditional conformance role focusing on fraud detection to a value-added role encompassing broader assurance functions. Over time, auditing now addresses stakeholders' changing... Read more
Key finding: This study uncovers the challenges auditors face in extending their assurance role into specialized non-audit actuarial services, particularly within insurance firms. It identifies institutional gaps including lack of... Read more
Key finding: Beyond regulatory insights, this paper discusses the professional accounting roles, including auditors, emphasizing the recent involvement of auditors in assurance and verification of social and environmental accounting... Read more
3. How do social accounting models and methodologies operationalize the measurement and reporting of social impacts for nonprofit and community-oriented organizations?
This theme explores theoretical and empirical work aimed at developing accounting models that capture nonmonetized social inputs and outputs. It is vital because nonprofits and community organizations inherently produce social value that traditional financial accounting fails to capture. Developing robust social accounting models enhances transparency, stakeholder accountability, and impact assessment beyond financial metrics.
Key finding: The authors introduce two social accounting models—the community social return on investment model and the expanded value-added statement—that quantify nonmonetized social outputs and include them alongside financial... Read more
Key finding: This paper critically analyzes the risks of externally imposed accountability frameworks on voluntary organizations, particularly under contracting arrangements. Through a typology of 'funder capture', it shows how social... Read more
Key finding: This work critiques the subjective and normative nature of social accounting and introduces the Social Audit tool as a participatory method that bridges quantitative accounting with stakeholder engagement. By emphasizing... Read more
Key finding: This speculative essay contributes a theoretical reframing of social accounting emphasizing emancipatory goals aligned with social change traditions. It highlights the importance of interstitial and symbiotic transformations... Read more