Coherence of information as a fundamental characteristic of corporate reporting

Subject. This article discusses the methodological tools for the coherence of information in the consolidated financial statements and the sustainability reporting of the Group. Objectives. The article aims to provide a comprehensive set of recommendations for developing the methodological support for the coherence of information in the corporate reporting of business structures referred to as the Group. Methods. For the study, we used analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, and abstraction. Results. The article proposes to introduce the notion Consolidated Sustainability Report into scientific use in the case where it discloses information on the Group, which will enable the correct interpretation of the presented data. The article also defines the concept of Information Coherence, formulates principles that help achieve the connectivity of financial and non-financial information in the corporate reporting of the Group, and offers a methodological tool set for ensuring the connectivity of such information. The article formulates and presents recommendations for improving the internal control system to achieve coherence of reporting information in order to ensure and enhance trust in the Group's corporate reporting. Conclusions and Relevance. The value of corporate reporting gets increased if the information in financial reports and sustainability reports is interconnected, deepening the understanding of the reasons for the divergence between the company’s market and book values, as well as its ability to create value over the long term. The developed methodological guidelines can be used in the practices of companies of the metallurgy sector to improve accounting and control processes to ensure the coherence of information in corporate reporting. They can also serve as the basis for further development of the methodological tools in this field.