Evaluating the Disclosure of ESG Information in Vietnamese Universities based on Global Reporting Initiative Scale Abstract

Abstract

There is a continuing increase in emphasis placed on the disclosure of environmental, social, and governance information by organisations. Universities have been traditionally known as places where intellectual inquiry and advances in knowledge are paramount. Therefore, there is an expectation that universities would place much emphasis on the relationship between sustainability and education. Recently, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines was employed by universities in Vietnam to disclosure of sustainable development information. Therefore, this study aims to  evaluate the ESG disclosure levels of 11 key Vietnamese universities. We used content analysis and the Clarkson Index based on the GRI Standards framework. The results found that the universities can be divided into three groups: Pioneer, Compliant, and Limited ESG disclosure. Also, it is found that sustainability reporting in higher education is still in its infancy, considering quantity and quality in the Vietnamese universities. The information focus equally on environmental, economic, and educational dimensions with limited scopes on social equity. Our research result could be benefits for university management and regulators in enhancing the amount and quality of sustainability information at universities in Vietnam. Keywords: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Vietnam, Universities, sustainability reporting.