Researcher

Dr Maria Cleofas Balatbat

My Expertise

Accounting Quality, Integrated Reporting, ESG Disclosures, Carbon Accounting

Fields of Research (FoR)

Sustainability accounting and reporting, Financial accounting, Corporate governance, Corporate social responsibility, Climate change impacts and adaptation not elsewhere classified, Auditing and accountability

Biography

My research interests include environmental and social accounting, corporate reporting and assurance of non-financial information such as Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and the value relevance of these information to the capital markets. I am also a founding member of a UNSW network, the Collaboration on Energy and Environmental Markets (CEEM). I have been teaching financial accounting in the undergraduate and postgraduate...view more

My research interests include environmental and social accounting, corporate reporting and assurance of non-financial information such as Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and the value relevance of these information to the capital markets. I am also a founding member of a UNSW network, the Collaboration on Energy and Environmental Markets (CEEM). I have been teaching financial accounting in the undergraduate and postgraduate accounting programs for several decades. Recently, I have developed a postgraduate course on reporting for climate change and sustainability which is now taught to business, engineering and environmental studies students. I also teach and have co-developed a course on Integrated Reporting, a new course in the Business School that is accredited by the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC). Before joining UNSW, I worked as a Teaching Fellow at Nanyang Business School, Singapore and a Lecturer and RJ Chambers scholar at the University of Sydney. I have published my works in Australian and international refereed journals. Prior to my academic career, I have worked as a consultant and auditor in large accounting firms in the US and Asia. I am a Fellow at CPA Australia and a member of the Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand.

My Grants

Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL) Grant 2018, International best practice on financing models for low carbon/energy efficient buildings: Rapid systematic overview of evidence ($10,000).
ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) Grant 2016-2017. Enhance modelling capacity for the industrial ecology virtual laboratory ($352,000).
Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL), Developing a Built Environment Impact Framework and Decision-Making Tool to Measure and Value the Economic, Social and Environmental Impact of Projects in the Built Environment, 2015 ($200,000).
ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) Grant 2016-2017. Enhance modelling capacity for the industrial ecology virtual laboratory ($352,000).
Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIICCSRTE), 2014-2016, Australia-China Climate Change Research Forum on Climate Change Mitigation Policy, ($60,016)
UNSW Contestable Funding Scheme, 2013, The Rise of Carbon Markets in China ($30,000)
ARC Linkage Grant 2012-2016 (with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and CPA Australia): Enhancing integrated reporting: implications for internal and external reporting and assurance ($329,604)
Accounting and Finance Association in Australia and New Zealand Research Grant Scheme 2011-2012, The journey to Integrated Reporting: What needs to be done by Australian and New Zealand firms and does it matter in creating and sustaining value? ($7,452)
CPA Australia Global Research Perspectives, 2010, Adopting a multi-disciplinary approach to investigate how economic, social and governance (ESG) information impacts on external and internal stakeholders ($32,967)
UNSW Contestable Funding for International Strategic Projects, 2010, Accounting, reporting and assurance for a sustainable future: Risks and opportunities ($10,000)
Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia Research Grant, 2010, Environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures in public equity offerings and its implications on investment decision-making ($8,000)
Australian School of Business Research Grant (ASBRG), 2009, Ensuring the effectiveness of the proposed CPRS Scheme: Understanding the economic consequences of accounting policy choices for carbon emission permits ($20,650)
Australian School of Business Special Research Grant (ASBSRG), 2009, An assessment of transparency and accountability in the Philippines to identify improvements that will assist policymakers address the challenges of the global financial crisis ($6,480)
UNSW Contestable Funding Scheme, 2008, Role of carbon financing in developing nations in mitigating GHG emissions ($30,000)
CPA Australia Research Grant Scheme, 2005, Accuracy of uses of IPO proceeds and its effects on long-run performance ($9,000)

My Qualifications

PhD (Economics) University of Sydney, Australia

Master of Commerce (Economics & Finance) University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Bachelor of Science in Commerce (major in Accounting) University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines

Climate Change Adaptation, GCAP Academy, University of Oxford

My Awards

UNSW Business School UN PRME Excellence in Teaching Award, 2015
UNSW Business School Teaching Award: Excellence in Academic Engagement
RJ Chambers PhD Scholarship in Accounting, 1995-1998
Best Paper and Presentation, PhD Conference in Business and Economics, Perth, W.A., 1997

My Research Activities

In recent years, I have worked in the evaluation of environmental and social dimensions in corporate reporting and the connectivity of these aspects to the value creation of organisations in the Built Environment Sector. Most notable is my involvement as Lead Investigator in a Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living project that developed a Built Environment Impact Framework and a Decision Making Tool to measure and value the economic, social and environmental impact of projects in the Built Environment Sector. I also examine how the capital markets perceive the disclosure of Environmental, Social and Governance indicators. I am also currently working on developing indicators for the reporting of sustainable value creation.

My Research Supervision

Supervision keywords

sustainable development

Areas of supervision

My areas of interest in HDR supervision focus on corporate reporting initiatives that will contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.

My Engagement

ELECTED OFFICE

Councilor, NSW Divisional Council, CPA Australia

DIRECTORSHIP

Director, Australasian Reporting Awards (Since 2019)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Fellow, CPA Australia

Member, TWG Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB)

Member Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand (CAANZ)

Member, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ)

Member, American Accounting Association (AAA)

Member, European Accounting Association (EAA)

Member, Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA)

Member, Centre for Social and Environmental Accounting Research (ACSEAR)

Member, Pacioli Society

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERSHIP

PSU Research Review: An International Journal, Editorial Board Member, 2016-Present

Managerial Auditing Journal, Guest Editor, 2012-2013

Philippine Management Review, Guest Editor, 2011-2012

ASSESSOR

Australian Research Council

REFEREEING ACTIVITIES

Accounting and Finance

American Accounting Association

Australasian Accounting Business and Finance Journal

Australian Accounting Review

Australian Journal of Management

Corporate Governance: An International Review

Energy Policy

Journal of Business Ethics

Journal of Industrial Ecology

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal

My Teaching

ACADEMIC TEACHING

Undergraduate (BCom)

Corporate Financial Reporting & Analysis - Pass and Honours (Course coordinator and Course Developer)
Issues in Financial Reporting & Analysis – Pass and Honours

Graduate (MCom/Masters of Professional Accounting)

Advanced Financial Reporting (Course Coordinator and Course Developer)
Corporate Financial Reporting and Analysis
International Financial Statement Analysis
Reporting for Climate Change and Sustainability (Course Coordinator and Course Developer)
Integrated Reporting, Integrated Thinking and Value Creation (Course Coordinator and Course Developer)

Executive Program – AGSM Hong Kong