Disclosure in reports of the Brazilian public banks: analysis of recommendations from Pillar 3 of the Basel Acoord 2

Abstract

This article checks the disclosure level practiced by the Brazilian public banks with regard to recommendations from Pillar 3 of the Basel Acoord 2. We used the content analysis technique, with examination, in 2010, of the financial information available on the website of the Central Bank of Brazil (Bacen) referring to the fourth quarters of 2008 and 2009. The main reports analyzed were the explanatory notes and the management report. The disclosure requirements of Pillar 3 are presented in 14 tables in the Agreement, but this study used the 9 tables with disclosure requirements related to the application of the standard approaches. The results indicated that the disclosure levels were 25% in 2008 and 29% in 2009 and they exclusively refer to the institutions under study included into the sample. In summary, demonstration by the public banks has an incipient transparency level and it is usually restricted to the information required by legislation.