Article Series: Sustainability Assurance: Examining the impact of assurance disclosure credibility

The disclosure of non-financial information in the form of sustainability reports and integrated reports is now a globally established practice. Most jurisdictions across the world encourage, either through stock exchange listing requirements or through legislation, the need for companies to provide information on their non-financial performance. However, these disclosures are often criticised for failing to offer a credible account of the reporter’s sustainability performance. To address this criticism many reporters voluntarily secure third-party assurance over their disclosures.

The ADGM Academy Research Centre is pleased to publish a series of articles by Associate Professor Muhammad Bilal Farooq on the key issues related to the assurance of non-financial reports, such as sustainability reports and integrated reports, also referred to as sustainability assurance. This third article examines whether sustainability assurance enhances disclosure credibility and if so how and to what extent.