Coding scheme for content analysis
| Topic category | Description | Cluster* |
|---|---|---|
| Landing page | A website’s landing page | Other |
| Accounting | Pages with content on accounting matters, such as general accounting policies, GAAP, consolidation, calculation methods | Fin |
| Auditing | Pages referring to audit and assurance | Fin |
| Balance sheet | The page containing the company’s balance sheet and notes relating to the balance sheet | Fin, fin-rep |
| Business model | Pages presenting the company’s business model or segments of the model | Non-fin, IR |
| Cash flow statement | The page containing the company’s cash flow statement and relevant notes | Fin, fin-rep |
| CEO statement | The page containing the CEO’s or the board’s statement | Non-fin |
| Company profile | Pages with content on the company’s profile, mission, etc. (but excluding pages presenting the company’s business model or strategy – see separate categories) | Non-fin |
| Corporate governance | Pages with content on corporate governance matters (but excluding pages containing information on remuneration or leadership – see separate categories) | Non-fin, IR, sus |
| Employees | Pages containing information on employee maters (e.g. diversity, HR management) | Non-fin, sus |
| Environment | Pages with content on the environment (e.g. environmental protection, emissions, water or waste management) | Non-fin, sus |
| Financial notes | Pages containing financial notes | Fin, fin-rep |
| Financial statements | Pages containing one or more basic financial statements (i.e. income statement, balance sheet, statement of changes in equity, cash flow statement) | Fin, fin-rep |
| Future and outlook | Pages whose content addresses the company’s future, including the company’s vision, outlook and specific targets | Fin, IR |
| GRI index | Pages containing explicit information on to the GRI index | Non-fin, sus |
| Human rights | Pages with content on human rights | Non-fin, sus |
| Income statement | The page where the company’s income statement and relevant notes are presented | Fin, fin-rep |
| Innovation | Pages with content on aspects of innovation | Non-fin |
| Investment | Pages with content on a company’s investments | Fin |
| Investor relation/capital market | Pages containing information on capital markets and communication (e.g. share development, investor relations) | Fin |
| Leadership | Pages with content on the composition of the company’s management (excluding information on remuneration and on the supervisory board – see separate categories) | Non-fin |
| Market | Pages with content on the company’s external environment, i.e. clients and customers (but excluding regional performance – see separate category) | Non-fin |
| Non-financial performance | Pages providing information on the company’s non-financial performance, excepting value creation | Non-fin, sus |
| Other | Pages whose content cannot be allocated to any of the other topic categories | Other |
| Performance | Pages providing information on the company’s financial performance, but excluding official financial statements | Fin |
| Regional performance | Pages with information on a company’s regional performance (e.g. regional reporting) | Non-fin |
| Remuneration | Pages with content on compensation | Fin |
| Risks | Pages with content on risk reporting | Non-fin, IR |
| Safety | Pages with information on company safety (e.g. safety management, number of accidents) | Non-fin, sus |
| Segment performance | Pages with content on segment performance (e.g. segment reporting) | Fin |
| Social | Pages with content on social matters (e.g. sponsoring, donations) | Non-fin, sus |
| Statement of changes in equity | The page containing a company’s statement of changes in equity | Fin, fin-rep |
| Storytelling | Pages that use “storytelling” techniques, such as case studies and graphics, to convey information | Non-fin |
| Strategy | Pages whose content describes the company’s strategy | Non-fin, IR |
| Supervisory board | Pages with content on matters concerning the supervisory board | Non-fin |
| Supply chain | Pages providing information on the company’s supply chain (e.g. supplier information, supplier auditing etc.) | Non-fin, sus |
| Sustainability | Pages containing information on the company’s general approach to various aspects of sustainability (e.g. sustainability management, sustainability strategy, materiality analysis and approach to Sustainable Development Goals) | Non-fin, sus |
| Taxes | Pages containing information on the company’s taxation | Fin |
| Value creation | Pages with content on the company’s value creation | Non-fin, IR |
| Topic category | Description | Cluster* |
|---|---|---|
| Landing page | A website’s landing page | Other |
| Accounting | Pages with content on accounting matters, such as general accounting policies, GAAP, consolidation, calculation methods | Fin |
| Auditing | Pages referring to audit and assurance | Fin |
| Balance sheet | The page containing the company’s balance sheet and notes relating to the balance sheet | Fin, fin-rep |
| Business model | Pages presenting the company’s business model or segments of the model | Non-fin, IR |
| Cash flow statement | The page containing the company’s cash flow statement and relevant notes | Fin, fin-rep |
| CEO statement | The page containing the CEO’s or the board’s statement | Non-fin |
| Company profile | Pages with content on the company’s profile, mission, etc. (but excluding pages presenting the company’s business model or strategy – see separate categories) | Non-fin |
| Corporate governance | Pages with content on corporate governance matters (but excluding pages containing information on remuneration or leadership – see separate categories) | Non-fin, IR, sus |
| Employees | Pages containing information on employee maters (e.g. diversity, HR management) | Non-fin, sus |
| Environment | Pages with content on the environment (e.g. environmental protection, emissions, water or waste management) | Non-fin, sus |
| Financial notes | Pages containing financial notes | Fin, fin-rep |
| Financial statements | Pages containing one or more basic financial statements (i.e. income statement, balance sheet, statement of changes in equity, cash flow statement) | Fin, fin-rep |
| Future and outlook | Pages whose content addresses the company’s future, including the company’s vision, outlook and specific targets | Fin, IR |
| GRI index | Pages containing explicit information on to the GRI index | Non-fin, sus |
| Human rights | Pages with content on human rights | Non-fin, sus |
| Income statement | The page where the company’s income statement and relevant notes are presented | Fin, fin-rep |
| Innovation | Pages with content on aspects of innovation | Non-fin |
| Investment | Pages with content on a company’s investments | Fin |
| Investor relation/capital market | Pages containing information on capital markets and communication (e.g. share development, investor relations) | Fin |
| Leadership | Pages with content on the composition of the company’s management (excluding information on remuneration and on the supervisory board – see separate categories) | Non-fin |
| Market | Pages with content on the company’s external environment, i.e. clients and customers (but excluding regional performance – see separate category) | Non-fin |
| Non-financial performance | Pages providing information on the company’s non-financial performance, excepting value creation | Non-fin, sus |
| Other | Pages whose content cannot be allocated to any of the other topic categories | Other |
| Performance | Pages providing information on the company’s financial performance, but excluding official financial statements | Fin |
| Regional performance | Pages with information on a company’s regional performance (e.g. regional reporting) | Non-fin |
| Remuneration | Pages with content on compensation | Fin |
| Risks | Pages with content on risk reporting | Non-fin, IR |
| Safety | Pages with information on company safety (e.g. safety management, number of accidents) | Non-fin, sus |
| Segment performance | Pages with content on segment performance (e.g. segment reporting) | Fin |
| Social | Pages with content on social matters (e.g. sponsoring, donations) | Non-fin, sus |
| Statement of changes in equity | The page containing a company’s statement of changes in equity | Fin, fin-rep |
| Storytelling | Pages that use “storytelling” techniques, such as case studies and graphics, to convey information | Non-fin |
| Strategy | Pages whose content describes the company’s strategy | Non-fin, IR |
| Supervisory board | Pages with content on matters concerning the supervisory board | Non-fin |
| Supply chain | Pages providing information on the company’s supply chain (e.g. supplier information, supplier auditing etc.) | Non-fin, sus |
| Sustainability | Pages containing information on the company’s general approach to various aspects of sustainability (e.g. sustainability management, sustainability strategy, materiality analysis and approach to Sustainable Development Goals) | Non-fin, sus |
| Taxes | Pages containing information on the company’s taxation | Fin |
| Value creation | Pages with content on the company’s value creation | Non-fin, IR |
Note(s): *The column “Cluster” indicates the clusters to which the respective topic has been attributed in the analysis, where “fin” stands for financial, “non-fin” for non-financial, “sus” for sustainability, “IR” for integrated reporting, “fin-rep” for financial reporting
Source(s): Authors’ own work
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