European perspectives on corporate non-financial disclosure: Evidence from the Southeast

Purpose -The purpose of this study is to examine the comprehensiveness of non-financial disclosures (NFDs) of the top 100 companies operating in Greece. Design/methodology/approach -A content analysis approach is applied to the online corporate disclosures of top Greek firms. Findings -Non-financial accounting and reporting are still unsystematic activities in Greece, actively endorsed only by a small fraction of large firms, while considerable variability among disclosures is evident. Disclosure practices of a majority of the sample firms are compliance driven; only meeting the minimum requirements of the law. Originality/value -The article seeks to portray the current status of corporate NFD and indicate potential drivers as well as apparent barriers that relate to the Greek case and hamper the development of effective non-financial accounting and reporting practices.