The influence of pressure: why some stakeholders drive non-financial reporting and others do not
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2025-06-30
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en
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As sustainability and corporate responsibility become increasingly relevant, non-financial reporting is gaining importance, even among organizations not legally required to disclose non-financial information. This study investigates how primary stakeholder salience, defined by power, legitimacy, urgency, and proximity, shapes voluntary non-financial reporting practices among Dutch non-listed SMEs. Drawing on stakeholder salience theory and employing an explorative-descriptive multiple case study approach, this research incorporates data from semi-structured interviews, document analyses, and participatory observations. The findings reveal that stakeholder salience attributes do not exert influence in isolation, rather, combinations of attributes, particularly power combined with urgency or proximity, drive NFR engagement. The study found that primary stakeholders, such as investors, customers, and employees, were highly influential in driving NFR, while suppliers were contextually influential in driving NFR, and society was found to be hardly influential among the primary stakeholder groups. Furthermore, perceptions of salience are influenced by contextual factors, including organizational values, sector pressures, and strategic priorities. These insights contribute to stakeholder salience theory by providing a dynamic and context-sensitive understanding of how non-listed SMEs interpret and prioritize primary stakeholder pressures in their non-financial reporting practices.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen