May 31, 2017
2017 Flash Report S&P 500
82% of the S&P 500® Companies Published Corporate Sustainability Reports in 2016
G&A Institute’s 2017 Inaugural Benchmark Study
Governance & Accountability Institute (G&A) is pleased to share findings from its 2017 Sustainability Reporting in Focus research. The analysis determined that 82% of S&P 500 companies published sustainability or corporate responsibility reports in 2016, demonstrating the steady growth of ESG disclosure among the largest U.S. public companies.
Key Findings
82% of S&P 500 companies published sustainability reports in 2016, up from 81% in 2015 and just 20% in 2011.
Year-over-year growth: 53% in 2012, 72% in 2013, 75% in 2014, 81% in 2015, and 82% in 2016.
By 2017, only 18% of S&P 500 companies were not publishing sustainability reports.
The steady increases highlight how sustainability reporting has become a reliable norm for large-cap U.S. companies and a key factor in corporate transparency.
Summary
The 2017 research confirms that sustainability reporting has become embedded in the corporate practices of the S&P 500. Since 2011, disclosure rates have risen dramatically, with reporting growing from fewer than one in five companies to more than four in five by 2016. This consistent growth underscores the importance of ESG reporting in shaping corporate strategy, allocating resources, and engaging with stakeholders such as investors, employees, customers, and regulators.
What You’ll Learn
The 2017 report provides a year-over-year view of the growth of sustainability reporting in the S&P 500, highlighting the steady adoption of ESG disclosure as a standard practice. Readers will learn how corporate reporting has evolved over six years, the significance of ESG information for investors and stakeholders, and how reporting trends reflect broader changes in U.S. capital markets.
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