JBS Vol 25. Num 2. 2023. Article 4 - Sustainable Reporting Practices of Telecommunication Companies in Bangladesh

This study evaluates sustainable reporting practices of telecommunication companies in Bangladesh to determine their current profile and trends. Annual reports have been analyzed using guidelines from International Organization for Standardization (ISO 26000) and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The study covers three DSE-listed companies over a span of seven years (2016-2022) and constructs an index. The disclosure of sustainable reporting practices in telecommunication companies is increasing over time in Bangladesh. We believe there are two motivating factors behind these trends. First, the guidelines from Bangladesh Security and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and, second, the general public and investors are increasingly interested in seeing this occur. The reporting index has increased because of both volunteer and regulatory initiatives. However, we expose some limitations. Reporting is completely done for only three telecommunication companies, but other non-listed telecommunication companies should also be added. Additionally, the collection of primary data on corporate social responsibility activities could offer deeper insights for future studies. This study creates an opportunity for the telecommunication companies to learn about the trend of the sustainable reporting practices. However, telecommunication companies are more concerned about corporate governance than their commitment towards society. Finally, the regulatory body can get a depiction of sustainable reporting of this particular sector for future decisions.