WRITING STYLES OF CEO STATEMENTS IN SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS

1036 - 1042

Arzu Ozsozgun Caliskan , Emel Esen

https://doi.org/10.17261/Pressacademia.2018.776

Abstract

Sustainability reporting can help organizations to
measure, understand and communicate their economic, environmental, social
performance, whether it has positive or negative results.  These reports introduce the organizational
values, strategy and governance model. In these reports, organizations can manage
their self-presentation more strategically from face to face interactions. The
purpose of this paper to investigate organization’s CEOs statements by using of
writing styles in Sustainability Reports.
In line with research purpose, 17 companies that are listed in BIST
sustainability index were analyzed by looking at their sustainability reports.
Writing styles as length, bold and italic sentences, signature of CEO, title,
reporting framework, beginning and ending of the messages, photograph of CEO and
colors that are used in CEO statements were analyzed. As a conclusion, companies have different writing styles to
influence their stakeholders. Almost
1-2 pages are used in reports to inform stakeholders by CEOs. Main topics,
valuable explanations, titles and signatures were given in bold or italic
figure.  

Keywords

Sustainability, sustainability reporting, CEO statements, writing styles, impression management

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