Legitimacy theory is one of the most cited theoretical frameworks within social, environmental, and sustainability accounting research. It is probably the most used theory to explain social, environmental, and sustainability disclosure (Campbell et al. 2003, p. 559).
The use of legitimacy theory in sustainability-related accounting research derives from the concept of organizational legitimacy. According to Suchman (1995, p. 574), “Legitimacy is a generalized perception or assumption that the actions of an entity are desirable, proper, or appropriate within some socially constructed system of norms, values, beliefs, and definitions.” According to Dowling and Pfeffer (1975, p. 122), this is “a condition or status which exists when an entity’s value system is congruent with the value system of the larger social system of which the entity is a part. When a disparity, actual or potential, exists between the two value systems, there is a.
