The role of sustainability indicators in managing state-owned enterprises at the regional level: an exploration on disclosures for better policymaking

Abstract

The sustainable development goals (SDGs), along with other internationally recognized frameworks, inspires better policies. At the European level, several institutions are also promoting better mechanisms to face present and future crises including social inequalities, food and energy supplies, and preservation of the environment. Traditional accounting systems in both public and private entities fail to capture these concerns into actual figures and concrete narratives. To face this challenge, several families of indicators have flourished. EFRAG (European Financial Reporting Advisory Group) is also preparing their own European sustainability reporting standards (ESRS), which will guide future European Directives on the matter. So, the years following 2024 will be a key period for the evolution of sustainability reporting, and hence, it is reasonable to consider that publicly owned enterprises are key scenarios. Hence, the aim of this work is to explore emerging reporting practices of region-owned enterprises from Canary Islands archipelago (Spain) and the Italian Abruzzi region.