Integrated social accounting for nonprofits: A case from Canada

Laurie Mook, Betty Jane Richmond, Jack Quarter

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

Whereas social accounting has been strong in its critique of conventional accounting, to date it has not been as effective in developing accounting frameworks consistent with its principles. This is particularly true for nonprofit organizations. The costs of nonprofits can be easily measured; however, not captured by conventional accounting is the value of their nonmonetized resources such as volunteers. This paper argues that social accounting for nonprofits would benefit by creating accounting statements that combine the economic and social impact of an organization (referred to as an integrated approach). After discussing some historic examples of integrated social accounting, the paper presents a Canadian case study in which the value added by volunteers of a nonprofit organization is combined with its financial statements in an Expanded Value Added Statement. By combining social and economic information, a very different performance story of the organization emerges.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)283-297
Number of pages15
JournalVoluntas
Volume14
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2003
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Canada
  • Nonprofit and voluntary organizations
  • Social accounting
  • Value added accounting
  • Volunteers

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Business and International Management
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Public Administration
  • Strategy and Management

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