May 16, 2019
2019 Flash Report S&P 500
86% of S&P 500 Index® Companies Publish Sustainability / Responsibility Reports
G&A Institute’s 2019 Inaugural Benchmark Study
Governance & Accountability Institute (G&A) is pleased to share the findings from its 2019 Sustainability Reporting in Focus research. The analysis determined that 86% of S&P 500® companies published sustainability or corporate responsibility reports in 2018, marking another record year in the steady growth of ESG reporting among large-cap U.S. firms.
Key Findings
86% of S&P 500 companies reported in 2018, compared to 85% in 2017.
Sustainability reporting has grown dramatically from just 20% of companies in 2011 to 86% in 2018.
Year-over-year growth: 53% in 2012, 72% in 2013, 75% in 2014, 81% in 2015, 82% in 2016, 85% in 2017, and 86% in 2018.
By 2019, only 14% of S&P 500 companies were not publishing sustainability reports.
Reports increasingly cover ESG performance and align with leading frameworks such as GRI, SASB, and TCFD, and many companies link disclosures to the UN SDGs.
Summary
The 2019 analysis underscores how sustainability reporting has become an established and nearly universal practice among the largest U.S. public companies. Over eight years of research, G&A has observed not only a dramatic rise in the number of reports but also a steady expansion in the quality and breadth of disclosures. These reports are now a critical tool for investors, customers, employees, and other stakeholders, reflecting how ESG considerations have become integral to corporate growth strategies, resource allocation, and risk management.
What You’ll Learn
The 2019 report provides insights into which companies in the S&P 500 are not yet reporting, how sector-level practices differ, and how companies are aligning with global frameworks and standards. Readers will also gain perspective on the evolution of ESG reporting in the U.S. capital markets and how the steady rise of disclosure has created new expectations among investors and stakeholders.
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