Legal liability of the members of the board of directors of joint stock companies arising from sustainability reports

The increasing impact of the climate crisis and the growing prevalence of the concept of sustainability at both national and global levels have made it necessary to impose certain obligations on organisations in order to offer solutions to environmental and social problems. Joint stock companies, which play a key role in the functioning of the economy, are among the organisations most affected by these obligations, as they are expected to contribute to the achievement of corporate sustainability goals. Sustainability reports, which have emerged as a common result of the changing expectations of stakeholders over time and legislative action, are reports through which joint stock companies disclose their impacts on the environment, the economy, and society. As regulated under Turkish law, these reports may lead to the liability of the members of the board of directors of joint stock companies, due to legal relationships established both within the company and with third parties.