The Pre-Read

Consultants Harry Etra, chief executive officer of HXE Partners, and Peylina Chu, senior vice president of ESG Business Strategy at Antea Group, join Workiva's Mandi McReynolds to explore what it takes to launch a successful ESG program—including team building, goal setting, and learning from failure.

This week on ESG Talk, we're reaching back into the vault to share one of our most popular episodes from season one. Si-Yeon Kim, former chief risk and compliance officer and executive chair of ESG at American Express Global Business Travel, joins host Mandi McReynolds to share how her team transformed sustainability challenges into business opportunity.

Global accounting expert Paul Druckman joins Workiva's Mandi McReynolds on the latest episode of ESG Talk. Mandi and Paul discuss sustainability, accountability, and why it might be time to rethink the title "CFO."

In this episode of ESG Talk, host Mandi McReynolds is joined by Jennifer Hunter, senior vice president of corporate citizenship and chief sustainability officer at Altria, one of the world's largest producers of cigarettes and tobacco. Jennifer shares how her team balances corporate responsibility and the harm associated with Altria's products —including advocating to increase the legal age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21.

To kick off our second season of ESG Talk, host Mandi McReynolds introduces our theme for the year—perspective and the diversity of thought shaping the discourse around ESG. According to Mandi, a new perspective can be an obstacle or an opportunity. Which one will you choose?

We're taking a look back on some of our favorite moments from season one of ESG Talk. In this highlight reel, we bring together insights and advice from Fortune 500 executives and consultants to authors, reporters, and leading academics. In season two, we're bringing you more diverse perspectives to help simplify ESG and accelerate its impact on business and society.

In this short chat, ESG Talk host Mandi McReynolds shares part of an executive presentation she gave exploring dynamic materiality. Mandi describes practical ways companies can align stakeholder engagement with dynamic materiality as well as how ESG leaders are using technology to drive both forward in 2023. 

Resources:

1) The Chat: Challenges and Opportunities in ESG Reporting - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/esg-talk/id1622905439?i=1000568095872 

2) Gaining Trust in Your ESG Data Is a Material Issue - https://www.workiva.com/blog/gaining-trust-your-esg-data-material-issue-0 

In this regulatory wrap up from ESG Talk, host Mandi McReynolds is joined by her Workiva colleagues, Andromeda Wood, Vice President of Regulatory Strategy, and Steve Soter, Senior Industry Principal. Andie and Steve share their takes on ESG regulation in the EU and US, including CSRD and recent developments by the SEC. 

Resources:

1) Andromeda Wood, CSRD Debrief - https://www.workiva.com/blog/csrd-debrief-whos-impacted-and-how-prepare 

2) Steve Soter, podcast co-host Off the Books  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/off-the-books/id1505814699 

3) COP27 and What's Next for ESG ft. Paul Dickinson, CDP - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/esg-talk/id1622905439?i=1000588129567 

4) The ROI of Sustainability ft. Tensie Whelan, NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/esg-talk/id1622905439?i=1000585631997 

Bhushan Sethi, Joint Global Leader of People and Organization at PwC and Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern's School of Business, joins Workiva's Mandi McReynolds on this week's episode of ESG Talk. Mandi and Bhushan explore building a strategy for human capital management during an economic downturn, including how transparency can breed trust and empowering employees with "voice and choice."

Resources:

1) PwC Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2022 - https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/news-room/press-releases/2022/global-workforce-hopes-and-fears-survey-2022.html 

2) CNN Interview: "Voice and Choice" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAn1PJ3h7E0 

3) PwC Pulse Survey: Managing business risks - https://www.pwc.com/us/en/library/pulse-survey/managing-business-risks.html 

4) CeFPro Survey: ESG State of Play: Banks' Compliance and Automated Reporting Trends - https://www.cefpro.com/esg-state-of-play-report/ 

5) PwC Workforce Transformation - https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/business-transformation/workforce-transformation.html 

This week, host Mandi McReynolds is joined by Paul Dickinson, founder and chair of CDP, the not-for-profit organization that runs the global environmental disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states, and regions. Paul and Mandi discuss announcements from COP27, the importance of data, and what lies ahead for ESG.

Resources:

1) Federal Supplier Climate Risks and Resilience Proposed Rule - https://www.sustainability.gov/federalsustainabilityplan/fed-supplier-rule.html 

2) CDP questionnaire to add ISSB's climate disclosure standard - https://www.corporatesecretary.com/articles/esg/33225/cdp-questionnaire-add-issb%E2%80%99s-climate-disclosure-standard 

3) The Chat: Questions Emerge at COP27 - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/esg-talk/id1622905439?i=1000586406377 

4) Shaping the Global Climate Transition for All ft. Simon Mundy - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/esg-talk/id1622905439?i=1000578677697