• Semester 1 (Day)

Synopsis

This  unit  explores a number of issues associated with  environmental
accounting and environmental performance reporting. The unit  stresses
that  organisational performance can be considered from  a  number  of
perspectives  and that the success of an organisation  should  not  be
considered  solely  in  terms of its financial performance  (as  often
appears  to be the case), but also in terms of its social performance.
Evidence  will be presented to show that many Australian  corporations
are  now providing environmental performance information within  their
annual   reports  and  within  stand-alone  environmental  performance
reports, and that the practice is increasing across time.

The  unit explores, from various theoretical perspectives issues  such
as: what motivates organisations to disclose environmental performance
information;  how  and  why environmental performance  information  is
utilised;  the  alternative  environmental reporting  frameworks;  and
international differences in environmental reporting practices.

Issues associated with the accountability of business (to whom and for
what);  user  demands for, and market responses to the  disclosure  of
environmental performance information; the limitations of conventional
financial accounting (specifically, its failure to acknowledge 'social
costs');  the  possibilities  of incorporating  sustainability  within
accounting;  and  the  practice of ethical  investment  will  also  be
considered.