Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) Reporting: Challenges and Opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprise’s

This study investigates the problems and opportunities in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reporting, concentrating on fragmented reporting standards, green-washing concerns, and resource restrictions facing firms, particularly Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). This research employs an exploratory methodology using secondary data from academic journals, industry reports, and media sources to examine how standardisation challenges and operational bottlenecks erode stakeholder trust and diminish reporting efficacy. The results indicate that the lack of standardised frameworks (GRI, SASB, and TCFD) leads to issues in comparability, while substantial implementation costs and insufficient third-party certification methods exacerbate the risks of green-washing, as illustrated by incidents like Volkswagen’s “Dieselgate” affair. Utilising Stakeholder Theory (Freeman, 1984) and Legitimacy Theory (Dowling & Pfeffer, 1975), the study illustrates that CSR reporting has transitioned from voluntary generosity to a strategic necessity, but structural obstacles remain. Opportunities arise from technical advances such as artificial intelligence and blockchain, standardised worldwide practices, and improved stakeholder participation. The study concluded that CSR reporting is no longer optional but crucial for creating trust, guaranteeing resilience, and securing competitive advantage. Recommendations include campaigning for consolidated reporting frameworks, utilising digital tools for cost-effective data management, and fostering multi-stakeholder engagement to turn CSR reporting from compliance burden into strategic value creation catalyst.

Keywords: CSR reporting, Stakeholder theory, Green-washing, Sustainability, ESG frameworks, corporate accountability.