Factors influencing sustainability content on corporate websites: the case of Canadian oil companies

Abstract

Over the Last decade, the Internet has become an indispensible tool and a key element in most companies’ communications strategies. This study attempts to assess the impact of certain determinants on the sustainability disclosures posted on the websites of oil companies, which are generally regarded as highly polluting. The website content of 68 of the largest oil firms listed on the S&P/TSX was assessed using indices based on each of the three Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) components to determine its relation to certain corporate characteristics. The results tend to show that the larger the firm and the greater its media exposure, the more likely it is to include social responsibility disclosures on its website.