What are the reasons behind publishing non-financial reports by Croatian public sector entities?

Abstract

The number of studies on non-financial reporting by public sector entities is steadily increasing. Public sector entities have begun to report non-financial data to meet the needs of various stakeholders. Previous research has shown that public entities have begun to disclose non-financial information through various non-financial reports, such as sustainability reports, popular reports, integrated reports, and reports on websites or social media. This paper examines the disclosure of non-financial information in the form of non-financial reports by Croatian public sector entities and the reasons for publishing or not publishing such reports. The research is based on a questionnaire survey of Croatian public sector executives conducted in 2022. The results show that Croatian public sector entities have started to publish non-financial reports and that publication in the future is viewed positively. However, most of those who indicated that their institution does not prepare non-financial reports and those who do not know if their institution prepares the report are unfamiliar with non-financial reporting and non-financial reporting standards. This paper adds to the limited literature on non-financial reporting in the public sector. It reveals that the most important reason for not publishing non-financial reports by public sector entities is the absence of a legal requirement for non-financial reporting.

Sustainability Reporting and International Rankings in Higher Education: A Case of the University of Split, Croatia

“…Furthermore, partner universities can mutually support achieving longterm sustainability goals by promoting scientific outputs and actions for sustainable development (e.g., identifying research potentials to conduct joint research and prepare publications and scientific projects). The described practices are expected to facilitate sustainability reporting and the entire UNIST non-financial reporting, well above the standards established in the Croatian public sector [48] and the wider region.…”