CORPORATE CHARACTERISTICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL DISCLOSURE AMONG LISTED INDUSTRIAL GOODS FIRMS IN NIGERIA

This study examined the effect of corporate characteristics on Environmental disclosure among listed industrial goods companies in Nigeria. The study employed Ex-post facto research design. The population consisted of thirteen (13) industrial goods companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group. Census sampling technique was employed having eliminated the company that was not listed as at 2014. This brought the number of sampled industrial goods companies to be twelve (12). Analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. In estimating the parameters of the model, random effect method of panel regression was employed. Findings revealed that firm size had a positive significant influence on Environmental disclosure (β=0.069, p=0.0001). Firm age had a positive significant effect on Environmental disclosure (β=0.1409, p=0.0016). Additionally, profitability had an insignificant positive influence on Environmental disclosure (β=0.0093, p=0.4212). Lastly, revenue growth exerts a positive significant impact on Environmental disclosure (β=0.0048, p=0.000). The study therefore concluded that corporate characteristics especially firm size, firm age and revenue growth are influential factors of Environmental disclosure. This study recommended that industrial firms in Nigeria should be encouraged to promote investment in non-current assets such as infrastructure, machineries, among others so as to increase their size and their capability to improve their environmental disclosure. Likewise, government and regulatory bodies should introduce targeted incentives to encourage younger and smaller firms to improve their environmental disclosure.