1. Chapter 1: Contemporary Issues in Social Accounting

2. Social Accounting Social Accounting, Historical roots Early Purpose
Social Accountability
Accounting Profession
Accounting Today

3. Social Accounting Defined
“the preparation and publication of an account about an organisation’s social, environmental, employee community, customer and other stakeholder interactions and activities, and where possible, the consequence of those interactions and activities” (Gray 2000, p. 250).
This is one definition of social accounting. For other definitions see Ramanathan, 1976: Matthews and Perera 1995 and Gauthier et al, Despite the differences in these various definitions they hold the same premise that organisations owe something to their wider stakeholder groups or community.

4. Why Study Social Accounting
Recent financial crisis and organisational scandals
Increasing pressure from the media, interest groups and society
Resurrection of financial and business ethics
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Social Accounting
Increasing rate of public sector fraud, financial crimes and corruption

5. Accounting Education Attracts large numbers of students
Available in most Universities
Programmes predominantly focused on the private sector
We focus on
Public Sector
Third Sector
Cooperatives
Family Businesses

6. Aim Importance of Social Accounting and Social Audit
Corporate Social Responsibility
Sustainability
Socially Responsible Investments
Role of Social Accounting
Tax Issues

7. Accountability, Ethics and the Business World
Relevance
Education and Professional Context
Driving Forces
Ethical Behaviour
Codes of Conduct
Professional Integrity

8. Historical Development of Corporate Social Responsibility and Reporting
Historical Perspective
Dynamics of Social Responsibility
Growth – Driving Forces
Globalisation
Foundations for Chapter 4

9. Corporate Social Responsibility
Five dimensions to CSR
Theoretical perspectives
Strategic Approach
Implementation issues
Economic Failures

10. Social Accounting and Sustainability
Sustainability Concept
Triple Bottom Line
Initiatives
Key Organisations
Transparency and Disclosures

11. Socially Responsible Investment
Socially Responsible Investment Concept
Evolution
Continuing Importance
Legitimacy
United Nations Development Goals
Environmental, Social, Governance Tools
Investment Selection Considerations
SRI Performance

12. Auditing for Social Aspects
Social Audit – what it is?
Where did social audits come from?
Developments
Three Types
Social, External and Supply Chain
Self-generated Audits
Nature and Scope
Responsibility

13. Social Accounting and the Public Sector
Difference between Public Sector organisations and other sectors
Social Value
Social Accounting and Democratic Control
Crisis – what crisis?
Initiatives
Challenges

14. Social Accounting and the Third Sector
Third Sector Nature and Purpose
Failures
Three Key Lenses
The Not-for-Profit Starvation Cycle
Examination of Reporting Frameworks
Governance
Accountability
Upward, Downward, Holistic

15. Cooperatives and Family Business
Cooperatives defined
Contrasts with other economic sectors
Family Businesses
Governance and Accountability Issues
Organisational Models
Boards
Who governs, roles, relationships, size, selection processes, participation

16. Taxation and Social Accounting
Objectives and Scope of Taxation
Issues
Context with Social Accounting and Responsibility
Future Directions
Transparency

17. Tomorrow’s Accounting and Society’s Future
Trends
Revival
Globalisation and Political Uncertainty
Future Directions
Developments

18. Supporting Materials End of chapter discussion questions
Mini case studies
Multiple choice questions
Suggested further reading