Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the relationship between sustainability reporting and firm value, and subsequently, ascertains the moderating effect of assurance and the type of assurer on the sustainability reporting–firm value nexus.Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on sample firms from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in South Africa. The fixed‐effect panel data analysis method is used to estimate the coefficients of the variables.Findings: A significant positive relationship is found between sustainability reporting and firm value. The results also suggest that sustainability assurance has significant explanatory power on firm value. Furthermore, the authors found that the market is unable to distinguish between sustainability assurance services provided by Big 4 audit firms and specialist consultant firms.Practical implications: The authors expect managers will see sustainability reporting and assurance as a business strategy with incremental market value. The study should also serve as a reference for stakeholders engaged in the advocacy for the adoption of sustainability assurance practices on the JSE and other emerging markets.Social implications: The study finds that the South African market rewards firms that purchase third-party assurance to guarantee the integrity of their corporate social responsibility reports. This understanding could help encourage more firms to embrace the concept of sustainability assurance.Originality/value: The study offers a first-hand information on how market participants in Johannesburg, an emerging economy, view sustainability assurance and the services provided by the different assurers.

The study examines the effect of corporate governance mechanisms on the disclosure of forward-looking information by firms listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE). The study covers the year 2013, a period of economic turmoil and a high level of market speculation. The governance mechanisms considered are board size, board independence, and institutional ownership. Multiple regression analysis is used in the study in estimating the relationship between corporate governance variables and forward-looking information disclosure. The empirical results show a statistically significant and positive relationship between the proportion of independent directors on a corporate board and firms’ disclosure of forward-looking information. The result suggests that the inclusion of more independent directors on corporate boards could improve information disclosure and enhance transparency. Board size and institutional ownership, however, do not have any significant relationship with forward-looking information disclosure. The study contributes to the literature on corporate governance and forward-looking information. Specifically, it contributes to the literature by demonstrating that forward-looking information disclosure in Zimbabwe is associated with board independence. The finding will serve as a reference for the many stakeholders who are advocating for the inclusion of more independent directors on corporate boards. Also, it is expected that the result would engender discussions on forward-looking information disclosure among market participants and regulators in a bid to enhance transparency in the market.

Purpose: The study aims to examine the simultaneous influence of corruption and culture on corporate social and environmental performance of selected companies.Design/methodology/approach: Theoretical propositions on how corruption and culture influence corporate social responsibility performance were developed and empirically tested. Corruption is measured using Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index and Schwartz (2008) cultural dimension is used as a measure of culture. Descriptive analysis was performed to provide the background statistics of the variables examined. This was followed by regression analysis which forms the main data analysis.Findings: The multiple regression analysis results indicated that corruption and two of the three cultural dimensions (embeddedness and Mastery) are significantly related to corporate social responsibility performance.Originality/value: The study contributes to the corporate social responsibility literature by revealing that corruption and culture are key determinants of corporate social responsibility performance.