Social Accounting & Reporting in Corporate Sector

Corporate activities have both economic as well as social impact. The economic impact is reflected in accounting procedures and financial statements. However, no generally accepted method has so far been developed for measuring and reporting corporate social activites and responsibilities. The present study is concerned with this vital area and makes empirical investigations into social accounting and reporting in the Indian corporate sector. The study is divided into nine chapters. The first chapter, besides introduction to the problem, contains historical perspective of the enterprises under study and a brief overview of a few empirical studies already conducted in India and abroad. The second chapter deals with concept, meaning, definition, uses standards and different approaches in social accounting and reporting. The third chapter is an analysis of the concept and areas of social responsibility while the fourth chapter deals with concept of measuring techniques of social benefits and social costs. The fifth and sixth chapters examine social accounting and reporting in Cement Corporation of India Limited and National Thermal Power Corporation Limited. The seventh chapter makes a comparative study of the practices in these two units. The eighth chapter examines the influence of selected company characteristics on social disclosure. Finally, the last chapter contains the major findings of the study, suggestions for improvement and a model for social accounting and reporting. The book will serve as a guide to industrialists, top executives, management trainees, environmentalists, legislators, labour leaders, employees, consumers and the general public.