Strategic Sustainability Reporting, Impression Management and Board Gender Diversity: Evidence From Luxury Fashion Industry

Abstract

The study aims to examine the impression management (IM) of the luxury fashion industry through communications using annual reports and the influence of board gender diversity (BGD). Using a computational approach with Python and Natural Language Processing on sustainability practices and performance of 19 luxury fashion companies from Top 100 global luxury brands over the period 2020 to 2022, it evaluates sustainability dimensions and the BGD's influence on IM practices. The findings reveal a notable increase in IM disclosure over the years and highlight a positive association between IM and sustainability disclosures, illustrating the use of disclosure language strategically to enhance corporate sustainability and reputation. They uncover that the boards with a higher proportion of female directors are positively associated with IM practices. This study contributes to the understanding of IM strategies in sustainability disclosure within the luxury fashion industry and underlines the crucial role of female directors in fostering ethics.