ESG REPORTING
“ HAVING AN ESG CONTROLLER IS SAYING TO REGULATORS , INVESTORS , AND THE MARKET , ‘ WE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY ’”
CHRISTINA SHIM HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY SOFTWARE , IBM
“ It also signals that sustainability reporting is no longer solely about corporate citizenship but reflects that sustainability efforts are critical to business outcomes .”
Shim shares research from IBM that shows more than 80 % of CEOs think
sustainability investments will drive better business results in the next five years . This means ESG Controllers can help ensure assurance-ready disclosures regarding material impacts , risks , and opportunities , while also connecting sustainability information to business performance .
Shifting sands of sustainability Matthew Sekol is Global ESG and Sustainability Advisor at Microsoft , and author of the upcoming book ESG Mindset . He says that when talking with companies and colleagues , he found the role of the CSO has dramatically shifted around the disclosures and regulations .
“ Where a CSO previously had pursued purposeful work , now the metrics lead the attention , and the role of the CSO has shifted away from impact ,” says Sekol . “ CSOs using this data to inform potential strategies are now met with a management team who view their role as a compliance exercise rather than one that can deliver or protect business value .
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