Nse UMOH-DANIEL

Although global emphasis on sustainability responsibility seems to rise, studies in developing climes are yet to match the tide as more existing write ups focused on single clime while few focused on more climes at a glance. Hence, this study examined the influence of corporate characteristics on sustainability reporting among listed non-financial firms in Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya. Guided by stakeholder theory, this study specifically explored the effect of profitability, firm size, firm age, firm leverage, and human resources development on sustainability reporting, as measured by the Sustainability Reporting Index. Turnover growth was included as a control variable. The study employed ex-post facto research design. The population was 374 listed non-financial firms. Census sampling technique was used and through filtration, 312 firms were sampled from 2012 to 2023. Secondary data was obtained from the firms’ annual reports and standalone reports. Preliminary analysis (descriptive statistics, normality and correlation matrix) and inferential analysis (from panel ordinary least square to robust regression) were conducted in order to demonstrate the statistical relationship between the variables. Post diagnostic tests (heteroskedasticity and multicollinearity) were also conducted to ensure the reliability of the model. The findings revealed that human resource development has statistical significant effect on sustainability reporting across all countries and in the pooled (combined) model. Firm age also demonstrated a generally positive influence, reflecting the importance of institutional maturity in driving disclosure behavior. Firm size indicated statistical significance in Nigeria and South Africa at varying direction while firm leverage showed statistical significance in South Africa only. Profitability, however, was found to have no significant effect on sustainability reporting across all models, highlighting that financial performance does not necessarily translate into greater non-financial disclosure. The study concluded that corporate characteristics wield influence on sustainability reporting more on account of institutional and organizational maturity as well as human resources development than on the ground of financial performance. The study recommended that firms prioritize investments in employee training, welfare, and professional development to enhance their capacity for sustainability reporting. Furthermore, capacity-building initiatives targeting younger and smaller firms should be implemented to improve awareness and reporting competence. Sustainability reporting should be embedded as a strategic objective, independent of profitability, to foster long-term organizational transparency and accountability