Benchmarking Sustainability Reporting in the Global Bicycle Industry: Institutional Pressures, Practices Adoption, and Standards Convergence

The bicycle industry, despite its sustainable image, remains underrepresented in research on non-financial reporting. This study benchmarks the sustainability reporting practices of 19 global bicycle manufacturers and component manufacturers that publish dedicated reports in English. It draws on content analysis of each company’s most recent, or most complete, sustainability report to examine patterns consistent with institutional isomorphism. The results show strong convergence around the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, adopted by 68% of firms, and the Global Reporting Initiative Standards, adopted by 53%. This pattern is consistent with normative isomorphism. Similarities in multi-framework reporting may also indicate mimetic behaviour, although direct evidence of imitation is limited. European firms are overrepresented in the sample, and some company reports refer directly to EU reporting requirements. These findings suggest possible coercive influence from the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, although geographic concentration alone does not establish causation. Reporting practices vary across firms. Larger companies often use more comprehensive reporting systems, while some SMEs provide more limited disclosure. However, company size alone does not fully explain reporting maturity. Sustainability disclosure among the reporting firms is shaped by shared standards, institutional pressures, and differences in organisational capacity. Overall, the analysis provides insights into reporting practices among selected firms and highlights the need for practical support for smaller manufacturers.