Tracey Mullin

This research will draw on the areas of risk management in the insurance industry, sociological theory, including the social structures in place, exploring systemic risk and structural violence. Structural violence highlights how social structures and systems can perpetuate harm and inequality, often resulting in the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities. Structural Violence is an important feature in both Sustainability and Reporting, that to-date has not been explored in great detail in the sphere of risk management and sustainability reporting. 

Insights from behavioural finance research offers interesting research on “nudging” which explores influencing people into better decision making while maintaining autonomy and choice (Thaler et al., 2009). The work of Thaler et al., (2009) builds on a significant field of research around decision making and influencing behaviour, including work by Robert Caldini. Tversky and Kahneman suggest that decision making can be significantly influenced by the way a choice is offered (Kahneman et al., 2013). One aim in my research is to explore whether the aforementioned research on decision-making by the individual can also be applied to the corporate arena in Ireland. 

This research includes a review of the current regulatory reporting requirements & data management, examining the effectiveness of the existing structures related to sustainability tracking and reporting in terms of the EU, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Solvency II reporting requirements and other frameworks that are in everyday use, within the private and public services.