Symbolic Compliance or Effective Governance? Board Characteristics and Integrated Reporting in Brazil

Autores

  • Christiane Carvalho Veloso Fucape Business School
  • Valcemiro Nossa Fucape Business School

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17524/repec.v19.e3766

Palavras-chave:

Relato Integrado, Conselho de Administração, Teoria Institucional

Resumo

Objective: To analyze the influence of Board of Directors' characteristics on the quality of integrated reports disclosed by publicly  traded Brazilian companies, from the perspective of Institutional Theory, considering the mechanisms of coercive, normative, and mimetic isomorphism. 

Method: A content analysis was conducted on the integrated reports of 35 companies listed on B3 between 2016 and 2023, with a  quality index constructed based on the dimensions of content, history, assurance, and form. As suggested by the Hausman and Chow  tests, fixed-effects multiple regression models were applied to test the hypotheses.

Results: The results revealed that gender diversity and board activity obtained negative and statistically significant effects on IR quality, while board independence and firm size showed no significant association. This evidence suggests a process of institutional  compliance that is more symbolic than substantive, strongly influenced by regulatory (coercive isomorphism) and normative pressures.

Contributions: This study reinforces the applicability of Institutional Theory in the analysis of corporate governance, demonstrating that formal attributes of the Board of Directors do not always result in higher information quality. In practical terms, the findings  highlight the need for public policies and corporate initiatives that strengthen board members' effective engagement with the  disclosure process, going beyond a mere response to institutional pressures.

Tradução

Biografia do Autor

Christiane Carvalho Veloso, Fucape Business School

Doutora em Ciências Contábeis e Administração

Valcemiro Nossa, Fucape Business School

Doutor em Controladoria e Contabilidade

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Publicado

06-10-2025

Como Citar

Carvalho Veloso, C., & Nossa, V. (2025). Symbolic Compliance or Effective Governance? Board Characteristics and Integrated Reporting in Brazil. Revista De Educação E Pesquisa Em Contabilidade, 19. https://doi.org/10.17524/repec.v19.e3766