Sustainability reporting journey: Critics from the past and challenges for the future A systematic literature review

This research investigates the critical issues identified in the accounting literature concerning non-financial reporting within the European Union. Employing a systematic literature review in accordance with the PRISMA Statement, 2,599 documents retrieved from the Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest databases were screened, resulting in the inclusion of 304 documents in the final review. Through thematic synthesis, the findings reveal that critiques primarily relate to the frameworks and guidelines adopted, the regulatory environment, the misleading tactics employed by companies and perceptions held by report users, the practical challenges encountered by businesses, and the internal and external factors influencing reporting practices and content. Although the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) seeks to address many of these concerns, several unresolved issues remain. Based on the current analysis, a research agenda is proposed to guide future studies on sustainability reporting.