永續報告書民事責任之評析

An Analysis of Civil Liability in Sustainability Report

本研究探討了在全球氣候變遷威脅日益嚴重的背景下，企業編製「永續報告書」的必要性及其民事責任的法律定位。隨著「ESG」（環境、社會、公司治理）概念的普及，企業在追求經濟利益的同時，也需承擔社會責任並維護環境永續發展。本文以臺灣的證券交易法為主要依據，分析企業在永續報告書中可能面臨的法律責任。首先，本文探討了永續報告書的法律定位，並比較了其與財務報表及公開說明書的異同。其次，本文分析了當企業在永續報告書中進行虛假陳述時，可能導致的法律責任，並通過參考美國司法實務中的相關案例，對此進行了深入探討。最後，本文基於研究結果，提出了對我國永續報告書編製的規範建議，以期降低企業虛假陳述的風險，保護投資者及其他利害關係人的權益。本文認為，隨著永續發展的推進，我國資本市場的資訊透明度顯著提升，企業面臨的法律風險也逐漸增大。因此，對於永續報告書的編製及其法律責任的深入研究，具有重要的現實意義。

This study explores the necessity and legal positioning of companies’preparation of“Sustainability Reports”in the context of the increasingly severe global climate change threat and the associated civil liabilities. With the popularization of the“ESG”(Environmental, Social, and Governance) concept, companies are required to bear social responsibility and maintain sustainable development while pursuing economic interests. This paper analyzes the potential legal liabilities companies may face in Taiwan under the Securities and Exchange Act when preparing Sustainability Reports. Firstly, the paper discusses the legal positioning of Sustainability Reports and compares them with financial statements and prospectuses. Secondly, it examines the possible legal liabilities that may arise when companies make false statements in Sustainability Reports, drawing on relevant case studies from U.S. judicial practice for in-depth analysis. Finally, based on the research findings, the paper provides regulatory recommendations for the preparation of Sustainability Reports in Taiwan, aiming to reduce the risk of false statements by companies and protect the interests of investors and other stakeholders. The paper concludes that as sustainable development progresses, the transparency of information in Taiwan’s capital market has significantly improved, and the legal risks faced by companies have also increased. Therefore, in-depth research into the preparation of Sustainability Reports and their legal responsibilities is of significant practical importance.