Sustainability reporting quality and its impact on firm value: Evidence from emerging markets
Keywords:
Sustainability Reporting Quality, Firm Value, Emerging Markets, Signaling Theory, IndonesiaAbstract
This study investigates the effect of sustainability reporting quality (SRQ) on firm value in the context of emerging markets, focusing on non-financial companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) during 2020–2023. Using a quantitative explanatory research design, the study employs secondary data from sustainability reports, annual reports, and market data. SRQ is measured through content analysis based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards (2021), while firm value is measured using Tobin’s Q, with firm size, profitability (ROA), and leverage (DER) as control variables. Panel data regression analysis with EViews is applied, and the model passes classical assumption tests for normality, homoscedasticity, and absence of autocorrelation. The results show that SRQ has a positive and statistically significant effect on firm value, supporting the signaling theory, which posits that high-quality disclosure signals a firm’s long-term viability and strong risk management to investors. Firm size and profitability also have significant positive effects on firm value, whereas leverage has a negative but insignificant effect. These findings contribute to the literature by emphasizing the importance of report quality rather than mere disclosure presence and provide practical implications for companies and regulators in emerging markets to enhance the credibility, transparency, and comparability of sustainability reports to boost investor confidence and corporate reputation.
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