Social Environment Accounting

Accounting Forum 28 (2004) 1–5

Introduction

Social and environmental accounting: trends and thoughts for the future
Over the years Accounting Forum has explored different possible directions for the field of social and environmental accounting. With a new publisher—Elsevier—it is our hope that we shall reach new markets and opportunities. In recent issues, these explorations have been extended to theorising the role of accounting in transnational global processes, and to the channels of global information and the interpretation of that information. In particular, contributions have attempted to explore the notion that accounting discourse is a medium through which relationships between business and society can be created, nurtured and developed. In our 2000 issue, we expressed our guiding aim through the lens provided by the late Professor Ray Chambers. We repeat it for this issue: What accounting needs is its own Copernican revolution. Too long have accountants been enamoured of the products of undisciplined imagination and unbiblical contemplation. Too long have they failed to lift their sights to the observables of real world affairs the substance of which it is their business to capture. Accounting is widely depicted as essentially historical. Hence the use of past prices, in presenting presently dated financial statements. More recently attention has shifted to future, hypothetical, prices. But what about present prices in presently dated statements? Accountants seem to have settled for the rule of the White Queen in Through the Looking Glass: ‘The rule is jam tomorrow and jam yesterday-but never jam today.’ (Chambers, 1999b: 250–251). Recent research in the area of environmental, financial and management accounting shows that accounting and accountants can participate in these areas of research. This issue attempts to explore these research questions some of which are: • • • • • • • • What do key organizational decision-makers understand by environmental

References: Chambers, R. J. (1999a). Accounting for simplicity. Abacus, 35, 121–138. Chambers, R. J. (1999b). The poverty of accounting discourse. Abacus, 35, 241–252. Chan, C. C. C., & Milne, M. J. (1999). Investor reactions to corporate environmental saints and sinners: an experimental attitude. Accounting and Business Research, 29, 265–279. Day, R. G. (2004). Disclosure of information about employees in the Director’s report of UK published financial statements: substantive or symbolic? Accounting Forum, 28, 43–59. Freedman, M., & Patten, D. M. (2004). Evidence on the pernicious effect of financial report environmental disclosure. Accounting Forum, 28, 27–41. Gray, R., Mohammed, J., Power, D., & Sinclair, C. D. (2001). Social and environmental disclosure and corporate characteristics: A research note and extension. Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, 28, 327–355. Hammond, K., & Miles, S. (2004). Assessing quality assessment of corporate social reporting: UK perspectives. Accounting Forum, 28, 61–79. Konar, S., & Cohen, M. A. (1997). Information as regulation: the effect of community right to know laws on toxic emissions. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 32, 109–124. Lorraine, N. H. J., Collison, D. J., & Power, D. M. (2004). An analysis of the stock market impact of environmental performance information. Accounting Forum, 28, 7–26. Neu, D., Warsame, H., & Pedwell, K. (1998). Managing public impressions: environmental disclosures in annual reports. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 23, 265–283. Further reading Callicott, J. B. (1996). Do deconstructive ecology and sociobiology undermine Leopold’s land ethic. Environmental Ethics, 18, 353–373. Callicott, J. B. (2000). Many indigenous worlds or the indigenous world? Environmental Ethics, 22, 273–291. Gallhofer, S., & Haslam, J. (1997). The direction of green accounting policy: critical reflection. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 10, 158–174. Gray, R. H. (1989). Review of models of democracy. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 2, 52–56. Gray, R., Kouhy, R., & Lavers, S. (1995). Corporate social and environmental reporting: a review of the literature and a longitudinal study of UK disclosure. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 8, 47–77. Gray, R. H., Owen, D. L., & Adams, C. (1996). Accountability and Accounting. London: Prentice Hall. Gray, R. H., Owen, D., & Maunders, K. (1987). Corporate Social Responsibility. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Glen Lehman University of South Australia City West Campus, Adelaide, Australia E-mail address: [e-mail] (G. Lehman)