Sustainability reporting and assurance in Portugal

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a descriptive comprehensive analysis of sustainability reporting (SR) and assurance in Portugal after the onset of the most recent economic crisis. Design/methodology/approach – The authors analyze 290 sustainability reports for the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, and find those that include assurance statements and characterize them. Findings – The authors present evidence supporting the view that the Portuguese sustainability reporting assurance (SRA) market follows the international trends and suggest that the most recent economic crisis had a negative effect in terms of publication of sustainability reports but not in terms of its quality and assurance. Research limitations/implications – The authors merely provide descriptive evidence of SR and the assurance thereof in Portugal. Originality/value – The authors contribute significantly to the literature on SRA in peripheral countries and in the period of crisis.