Within online corporate annual reporting for a globalised world, whose voice is being heard?

Abstract

Is there a new shareholder paradigm today that requires a new way of reporting? ( Leuner, J. 2012).The online communication of espoused organisational identity currently reflects within its message construction a rethinking of communication, space and identity reporting for globalised audiences.

Within these “spaces of collective interest “ ( ibid) globalization appears to be creating new and different opportunities for organizations to communicate commitment to Non-financial reporting to their stakeholders and simultaneously, for stakeholders to assess the organisational ethics, values and achievements within Non-financial reporting. This assessment can enable organisational legitimacy to be conferred – or not. As these stakeholder audiences increase, the question of the impact of such extra-organizational influences and motivations (eg moral, ethical or other reasons) for expanded and deliberate Non-financial reporting arises. How is message construction for such reporting purposes being developed in New Zealand?

This paper firstly explores the re-thinking of the role of corporate reporting and the influences on the rise of integrated non-financial reporting. Such influences include nature of stakeholder relationships or information needs as drivers for such a re-thinking (eg changing societal expectations, organisational legitimacy or the immediacy of social media spaces/ transparency). Secondly, the case of NZ Post will be outlined as a local organisation adhering to current online non-financial reporting for a globalized world. Is the voice of the annual report now encapsulated in the words of Mark Yeoman (CFO NZ Post) “an accountability document, not a marketing document?” (Yeoman,M. 2013).