Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports have become an annual requirement for listed companies worldwide. They are crucial not only for a company’s market value but also for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

CSR refers to the responsibility of a company to not only create profits and fulfill legal obligations to shareholders and employees but also to take responsibility for consumers, communities, and the environment. CSR requires companies to go beyond the traditional goal of profit maximization, emphasizing the importance of valuing people in the production process and contributing to the environment, consumers, and society.

On December 31, 2008, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, in its “Notice on the Work of Listed Companies’ 2008 Annual Reports,” required three types of companies—those listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s Corporate Governance Sector, companies issuing foreign-listed shares, and financial institutions—to disclose CSR reports. It also encouraged other eligible companies to voluntarily disclose CSR reports and per-share social contribution values. The Shenzhen Stock Exchange currently requires companies included in the SZSE 100 Index to disclose CSR reports alongside their annual reports.

Internationally, countries such as the United States, France, Australia, and South Africa mandate that listed companies disclose environmental information, including environmental liabilities, environmental monitoring costs, the impact of environmental issues on the company’s financial status and competitive position, and pending environmental litigation. The United Kingdom, Singapore, and Canada also have mandatory disclosure systems for specific industries.