Main Article Content

Abstract

This study examines the role of green accounting, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure, and digital transparency in enhancing firm value within the sustainability economy. The research aims to move beyond traditional financial perspectives by exploring how sustainability-oriented accounting and reporting practices contribute to corporate value creation. Adopting a qualitative research approach grounded in a comprehensive literature review, this research systematically analyzes and synthesizes prior empirical and theoretical studies published in reputable international journals. The method emphasizes qualitative content analysis to identify dominant themes, patterns, and conceptual linkages among green accounting practices, ESG disclosure mechanisms, digital transparency, and firm value. The findings reveal that green accounting enables firms to internalize environmental impacts and strengthen long-term performance legitimacy. At the same time, ESG disclosure functions as a strategic signaling mechanism that reduces information asymmetry and enhances stakeholder trust. Furthermore, digital transparency is found to amplify the value relevance of sustainability disclosures by improving the accessibility, timeliness, and credibility of non-financial information. The study also identifies that the effectiveness of these practices is highly context-dependent, influenced by institutional environments, reporting quality, and digital maturity. Overall, the study concludes that integrating green accounting, ESG disclosure, and digital transparency is essential for firms seeking to enhance sustainable firm value beyond financial numbers. These findings provide important theoretical insights and managerial implications for advancing sustainability-oriented corporate reporting.

Keywords

Green Accounting ESG Disclosure Digital Transparency Firm Value Sustainability Economy

Article Details

How to Cite
Nasution, M. H. A., Ginting, A., & Sidabutar, E. U. B. (2026). Beyond Financial Numbers: The Role of Green Accounting, ESG Disclosure, and Digital Transparency in Enhancing Firm Value within the Sustainability Economy. Golden Ratio of Data in Summary, 6(2), 422–431. https://doi.org/10.52970/grdis.v6i2.725

References

  1. Albitar, K., Hussainey, K., Kolade, N., & Gerged, A. M. (2020). ESG disclosure and firm performance before and after IR: The moderating role of governance mechanisms. International Journal of Accounting and Information Management, 28(4), 695–717. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJAIM-09-2019-0108
  2. Buallay, A. (2019). Is sustainability reporting (ESG) associated with performance? Evidence from the European banking sector. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 30(1), 98–115. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEQ-12-2017-0149
  3. Cheng, B., Ioannou, I., & Serafeim, G. (2014). Corporate social responsibility and access to finance. Strategic Management Journal, 35(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2131
  4. Connelly, B. L., Certo, S. T., Ireland, R. D., & Reutzel, C. R. (2011). Signaling theory: A review and assessment. Journal of Management, 37(1), 39–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310388419
  5. De Villiers, C., Rinaldi, L., & Unerman, J. (2014). Integrated reporting: Insights, gaps and an agenda for future research. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 27(7), 1042–1067. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-06-2014-1736
  6. Eccles, R. G., Ioannou, I., & Serafeim, G. (2014). The impact of corporate sustainability on organizational processes and performance. Management Science, 60(11), 2835–2857. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1984
  7. Fatemi, A., Glaum, M., & Kaiser, S. (2018). ESG performance and firm value: The moderating role of disclosure. Global Finance Journal, 38, 45–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfj.2017.03.001
  8. Friede, G., Busch, T., & Bassen, A. (2015). ESG and financial performance: Aggregated evidence from more than 2000 empirical studies. Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment, 5(4), 210–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/20430795.2015.1118917
  9. Hummel, K., & Schlick, C. (2016). The relationship between sustainability performance and sustainability disclosure. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 35(5), 455–476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2016.06.001
  10. Huang, X. (2021). ESG performance, ESG disclosure, and firm value. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 28(2), 415–429. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2069
  11. Laskar, N., Chakraborty, T. K., & Maji, S. G. (2017). Corporate sustainability performance and financial performance. Management and Labour Studies, 42(2), 88–106. https://doi.org/10.1177/0258042X17703797
  12. López-Gamero, M. D., Molina-Azorín, J. F., & Claver-Cortés, E. (2009). The whole relationship between environmental variables and firm performance. Journal of Environmental Management, 90(10), 3110–3121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.05.007
  13. Reverte, C. (2012). The impact of better corporate social responsibility disclosure on the cost of equity capital. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 19(5), 253–272. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.273
  14. Schiemann, F., & Sakhel, A. (2018). Carbon disclosure, financial performance, and firm value. Accounting in Europe, 15(3), 353–371. https://doi.org/10.1080/17449480.2018.1504644
  15. Schaltegger, S., & Burritt, R. (2000). Contemporary environmental accounting. Issues, concepts, and practice. Greenleaf Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351282424
  16. Simnett, R., Vanstraelen, A., & Chua, W. F. (2009). Assurance on sustainability reports. Accounting Review, 84(3), 937–967. https://doi.org/10.2308/accr.2009.84.3.937
  17. Spence, M. (1973). Job market signaling. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 87(3), 355–374. https://doi.org/10.2307/1882010
  18. Suchman, M. C. (1995). Managing legitimacy: Strategic and institutional approaches. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 571–610. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1995.9508080331
  19. Xie, J., Nozawa, W., Yagi, M., Fujii, H., & Managi, S. (2019). Do environmental, social, and governance activities improve corporate financial performance? Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(2), 286–300. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2224
  20. Zhang, D., Morse, S., & Kambhampati, U. (2023). Digital transformation, ESG disclosure, and firm value. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 186, 122131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122131

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.