Legitimacy theory is a “positive theory” that asserts that businesses are bound by the implicit “social contract” that the corporation agrees to perform that are specifically relating to social and environmental issues (Rankin, et al. 2012, 142). To remain congruent with societal values in which it operates, a corporation can address attributes that relate to this theory through voluntary social and environmental disclosures made on platforms like its annual report (Coebergh 2011, 65).
Virgin Australia has various groups of important stakeholders who can affect or is affected by both the actions and activities of the corporation (Laasch and Conaway 2014, 97). They are namely, guests, employees, investor groups and shareholders, unions, non-government
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Furthermore, the corporation has newly introduced an initiative known as, The Brand Ambassador Program, where it celebrates the contribution of employees and gives them the recognition they ought to have (Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd 2013, …show more content…
These disclosures generally suggest that the corporation’s reports were audited and that the statements conformed to the appropriate legislations and standards (Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd 2013, 166). In relation to social and environment disclosure that is not regulated, the corporation has referred to appropriate initiatives like the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) (Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd 2013, 164). Its corporate governance disclosures covered mainly on the internal business control such as the structure and role of the board of directors, remuneration, responsible and ethical decision-making, integrity in financial reporting, recognising and managing risk, and disclosure and the rights of shareholders (Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd 2013,