Finance: a Cornerstone of Enterprise Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Strategy

COVID-19 has compelled organizations to take a hard look at their business models and associated societal license to operate. Organizations recognize that they cannot go about their businesses in isolation from their people, society, and environment. CFOs and finance leaders need to play a key role in ensuring that Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations are a part of their companies’ core strategies and integrate them into business decision-making.

As a finance leader, it is imperative to define a robust governance framework aligned with the organizational strategy to implement ESG initiatives and demonstrate success through a set of measurable and standardized metrics. Initiatives such as climate accounting, ESG investing, and carbon disclosures are the first steps in the right direction.