CASE STUDY
Formal ESRS Compliance Does Not Fully Eliminate Information Asymmetry in ESG Reporting: Evidence from a Screening-Based Case Study
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Faculty of Business and Management, Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic
These authors had equal contribution to this work
Submission date: 2026-01-29
Final revision date: 2026-03-22
Acceptance date: 2026-04-23
Online publication date: 2026-10-28
Publication date: 2026-10-28
Corresponding author
Štěpán Franc
Faculty of Business and Management, Brno University of Technology, Kolejní 2906/4, 61200, Brno, Czech Republic
Economic and Regional Studies 2026;19(3):539-553
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ABSTRACT
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting is widely regarded as a mechanism for reducing information asymmetry between firms and their stakeholders, particularly under the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). However, regulatory compliance does not necessarily ensure high informational quality. This study examines the extent to which information asymmetry persists within ESG reporting prepared in accordance with ESRS. Using a qualitative case study design, a screening-based methodological framework is applied to a publicly available and externally audited ESG report. Information asymmetry is assessed across four dimensions: disclosure completeness, content specificity, verifiability, and truthfulness, using a weighted scoring model. The findings indicate that while many disclosures exhibit low or negligible information asymmetry, medium and, in isolated cases, high levels persist, particularly in areas related to financial impacts of sustainability risks. The results suggest that formal ESRS compliance and external assurance do not fully eliminate informational imbalances.