Advancing Energy Transition and Climate Accountability in Wisconsin Firms: A Content Analysis of Corporate Sustainability Reporting

Corporate ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting is increasingly envisioned as evidence of accountability in the energy transition, yet persistent gaps remain between commitments and practices. This study applied the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework—specifically indicators 302 (Energy) and 305 (Emissions)—to evaluate the credibility, scope, and strategic depth of disclosures by 20 Wisconsin (WI) firms in the energy, manufacturing, food, and service sectors. Guided by accountability and legitimacy theory, a comparative content analysis was conducted, complemented by Spearman correlation to examine associations between firm size and disclosure quality. Results show that while firms consistently report basic metrics such as total energy consumption and Scope 1 emissions, disclosures on Scope 3 emissions, renewable sourcing, and energy-efficiency achievements remain partial and selectively framed. Third-party assurance is inconsistently applied, and methodological transparency—such as external audit and coding protocols—is limited, weakening credibility. A statistically significant negative correlation was observed between annual revenue and disclosure quality, indicating that greater financial capacity does not necessarily translate into greater transparency. These findings highlight methodological and governance shortcomings, including reliance on generic ESG frameworks rather than climate-focused standards such as Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Integrated reporting approaches are recommended to improve comparability, credibility, and alignment with Wisconsin’s Clean Energy Transition Plan.