Akadakpo Bukola Adefunke, PhD1 Ashafoke oghenekome Tina, PhD2
1&2Department of Accounting, University of Benin, Benin City
Abstract
The study examined how board of directors’ diversity influence sustainability reporting in Nigeria. The study sampled seventeen (17) randomly selected consumer goods firms listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) over a nine-year period (2012 to 2020). It employed a multi-method quantitative research approach and conducted the analysis using the random effect panel least squares. The findings revealed a positive relationship between every variable investigated and the sustainability reporting (hereafter, SR) of the sampled firms. However, gender diversity, board members’ educational backgrounds, board size, and board independence were not statistically significant at the 5% level of significance, whereas nationality diversity and age diversity of directors exerted significant positive effects on SR. Furthermore, the study found a positive relationship between SR and the control variable of corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the 5% significance level. Given these findings, the study recommends an increased representation of female directors among consumer goods firms in order to enhance the current level of SR. Furthermore, there is also the need to encourage the representation of foreign directors on the board to enhance the current level of SR in consumer goods firms.
Keywords: board diversity, sustainability reporting, Nigeria, consumer goods firm, gender diversity, board educational background, age diversity