Podcasts about environmental social

Shaheer Hafeez left university and started studying for his accountancy exams with a view to going into a career in audit.But volunteering with the social enterprise Generation Success, and meeting its founder James Adeleke showed Shaheer just how far a can-do attitude can take you.He shifted his focus to work in Environmental Social and Governance and climate risk, applied for a job with Big 4 consultancy firm KPMG and has risen to be a director.Not only does Shaheer now head up a team advising companies about their own ESG and climate strategy, he also mentors social enterprises on scale up. Earlier this year Shaheer become a member of Generation Success's advisory board. The social enterprise empowers young professionals and drives the principles of social mobility, equality, and diversity. At a panel discussion when he was asked ‘What truly defines a green job?' Shaheer pointed out the complex nature of the answer, something he goes on to explain more about in the podcast.Useful linksThe ICAEW audit qualificationsGeneration SuccessSt MungosKPMG careersYou might also like to listen to:Lydia Carrington, sustainability manager, Edgbaston Stadium (S2 Ep 1)Sanjukta Jitendhar, architect, Mikhail Riches (S1 Ep 9)Sarah Daly, Climate champion and sustainability expert (S3 Ep 1)About ProGRESSHost Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.Instagram ProGRESS Content © Sandra Kessell Original music © Lyze KessellEmail: hello[at]mypro-gress.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nosipho Radebe is in conversation with Prof. Neissan Basharati, Senior Lecturer for Sustainability, ESG, Impact Management, Circular Economy at Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) and Aaron Munetsi, CEO at Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Episode 514 of Impact Boom, Dan Leverington of The Ocelli Group discusses helping mainstream businesses to choose ESG-committed, ethically conscious suppliers, and why building a global commercial ecosystem led by sustainable social enterprises will generate systemic impacts. If you are a changemaker wanting to learn actionable steps to grow your organisations or level up your impact, don't miss out on this episode! If you enjoyed this episode, then check out Episode 354 with Jane Mosbacher Morris on ethical supply chains supporting growth internationally -> https://bit.ly/3MW8vKq The team who made this episode happen were: Host: Indio Myles Guest(s): Dan Leverington Producer: Indio Myles We invite you to join our community on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram to stay up to date on the latest social innovation news and resources to help you turn ideas into impact. You'll also find us on all the major podcast streaming platforms, where you can also leave a review and provide feedback.

In this episode, hosts Will Richardson and Charlie Luxton dive into a pressing issue within the construction industry – pallet waste. Each year, the industry uses around 20 million pallets, yet only 10% are recovered or reused. The rest end up in landfills, contributing to significant waste and environmental damage. Joining the discussion is Paul Lewis, Founder of Pallet Loop, who is on a mission to transform how pallets are used, tracked, and reused in construction. Paul shares how his innovative approach is set to tackle this issue. Key Highlights: The Pallet Loop Initiative: Discover how Pallet Loop is pioneering the first reusable, trackable, and returnable pallet specifically for construction, potentially cutting pallet-related emissions by 40%. Paul compares the construction industry to the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, where reuse rates reach 98%. Learn about the deposit-based model inspired by Germany and Norway's bottle recycling schemes, designed to maintain the value of pallets. Explore the innovative logistics system Pallet Loop has developed, featuring Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to efficiently recover pallets. Economic and Environmental Impact: Paul reveals shocking statistics: 6000 acres of forestry are felled annually to produce single-use pallets for construction. Hear how poor design contributes to waste and how Pallet Loop promotes standardisation from the outset to combat this issue. Understand how Pallet Loop not only reduces waste and carbon emissions but also offers a cost-effective solution for the supply chain. Paul discusses how Pallet Loop has helped suppliers like British Gypsum meet their Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) goals, addressing Scope 3 emissions without increasing cost for clients. Overcoming Industry Resistance: The discussion highlights the challenges of persuading a traditionally change-resistant industry to adopt sustainable practices, often hindered by economic pressures and procurement processes. Paul outlines his vision to overcome these barriers by extending reuse principles throughout the entire construction supply chain, with plans to expand the loop system to include other materials like cement bags and bulk packaging. Resources: Pallet Loop British...

Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) related discussions is happening across the board but not everyone is keen. So what is holding us back in the adoption of ESG practices by businesses?  Gabriel Thoumi, President & CEO of Responsible Alpha joins Girish Shivakumar to share his experience of running into problems in implementation of ESG practices around the world. Connect with Gabriel: https://www.responsiblealpha.com/  Link to Episode 100: https://youtu.be/SaVhdi6FvAg?si=529N0dxb3HuyYOoa  Artwork courtesy - www.terregeneration.com a content agency specialised in telling stories in climate, biodiversity and sustainability. Liked the episode? Give a rating and write a review on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/2LFBCVw). Share it with 3 people in your network, it just takes 30seconds.

Selina Sagayam is an English-qualified senior counsel and recent former partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher's London office. She is a pioneer and leader in the firm's Environmental, Sustainability, and Governance (ESG) practice and a member of its international corporate group. Selina is a woman in a man's world. She has not just won awards as a woman but as a leader in her field. She is recognised by The Legal 500 UK 2024 for Private Equity: Transactions and M&A: Upper Mid-Market and Premium Deals over £750 million. Selina has also been listed by Brummell Magazine in 2020 as an Inspirational Woman City Leader, to name a few of her accolades.   CONNECT WITH SELINA: ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ ⁠The Renewables Infrastructure Group⁠ ⁠Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher⁠     CONNECT WITH CAROLINE: Our club ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ gives you real-life stories and examples of how our club professionals can guide you on ‘How to Keep Your Money' ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Caroline's Club⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ caroline@carolines.club

Erin Novini has blended chemical engineering with environmental engineering as an engineering specialist for consulting firm Trihydro since 2005. And in that nearly two-decade span, she's seen sustainability develop in the corporate world quite a bit. In the conclusion of the ASCE Environmental and Water Resources Institute Environmental Health and Water Quality Committee's sustainability miniseries, Novini discusses her career, her work, and how she sees sustainability playing in the corporate space.

Richard Lutz kenne ich seit der Schulzeit, wir sind also jahrzehntelange, sehr gute Freunde. Was ich besonders an ihm schätze, ist sein breites und zugleich tiefes Wissen. Man erwischt ihn eigentlich nie „blank“ und fragt sich, wie er die Zeit dafür aufbringt, dieses Know-how zu akkumulieren. Er ist ein begnadeter Autodidakt und ein leidenschaftlicher Diskutant. Wir nehmen uns nach den allgemeinen Werten in der Vermögensverwaltung das Thema ESG vor, um zuzuspitzen, Awareness zu schaffen und nicht einfach im Mainstream mitzuschwimmen. Dabei spielen Werte natürlich eine wichtige Rolle. Prädikat: Spannend!

Environmental, Social, and Government (ESG) requirements are popping up everywhere. Do you know the expectations of all the various stakeholders that impact your business? These include project owners, general contractors, investors, lenders, insurance companies, employees, and governmental agencies. Each comes with risks and opportunities. We are thrilled to join the Kraus-Anderson Insurance "Ilume" podcast to bring you an enlightening discussion on construction environmental risk and insurance. Mallory Thomas, a partner with Baker Tilly's risk management practice in Minneapolis joins us to discuss these emerging risk issues and ways to position your business for success, both internally and externally.

Navigating the broad landscape of climate-related investment risks and opportunities has never been more critical. For a discussion on decarbonization, responsible investing and tactics for greater resilience, host and Aon's Partner, Non-Profit Solutions Leader, Chair of U.S. Investment Committee, Heather Myers, welcomes Daniel Ingram, partner, head of Responsible Investment, North America, and Tim Manuel, partner, head of Responsible Investment, UK.  [1:44] Key questions that define the meaning of decarbonizing for investors[5:40] Identifying the motivation behind the steps needed in decarbonizing efforts[10:54] Various investor approaches to decarbonizing[15:37] Action and integration flow from the motivational belief that change is possible[19:22] First steps to building a climate-resilient investment portfolioAdditional Resources:Aon's websiteHow is Climate Change Affecting the Investment Landscape?Aon's Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) Manager Ratings: 3 Questions with Daniel IngramImpact Investing is Hard: Here's How to do it WellResponsible InvestingAon's Impact ReportTweetables:“As a globally diversified investor, your portfolio will look like, to some degree, the global economy.” — Tim Manuel“For investors that want to maintain diversification, their own decarbonization goals and whether they will meet those goals, are inextricably linked to the decarbonization process in the wider economy.” — Tim Manuel“Investors can't decarbonize in a vacuum.” — Tim Manuel“Investors really need some help determining what, if anything, decarbonizing means for them, what actions they might want to take, if any, and why.” — Daniel Ingram“Trying to understand what's motivating your investors is really part of determining what decarbonizing means for you.” — Daniel Ingram“No one person is going to solve climate change.  It requires everyone to do their part globally.” — Daniel Ingram© 2024 Aon plc. All rights reserved.The opinions referenced are as of the date of publication and are subject to change due to changes in the market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. Information contained herein is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Investment advice and consulting services provided by Aon Investments USA Inc. (Aon Investments). The information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and does not purport to give information as of any other date. The delivery at any time shall not, under any circumstances, create any implication that there has been a change in the information set forth herein since the date hereof or any obligation to update or provide amendments hereto.This document is not intended to provide, and shall not be relied upon for, accounting, legal or tax advice or investment recommendations. Any accounting, legal, or taxation position described in this presentation is a general statement and shall only be used as a guide. It does not constitute accounting, legal, and tax advice and is based on Aon Investments' understanding of current laws and interpretation.Diversification does not ensure a profit nor does it protect against loss of principal. Diversification among investment options and asset classes may help to reduce overall volatility.This document is intended for general information purposes only and should not be construed as advice or opinions on any specific facts or circumstances. The comments in this summary are based upon Aon Investments' preliminary analysis of publicly available information. The content of this document is made available on an “as is” basis, without warranty of any kind. Aon Investments disclaims any legal liability to any person or organization for loss or damage caused by or resulting from any reliance placed on that content. Aon Investments reserves all rights to the content of this document. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means without the express written consent of Aon Investments.Aon Investments USA Inc. is a federally registered investment advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Aon Investments USA Inc. is also registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as a commodity pool operator and a commodity trading advisor and is a member of the National Futures Association. The Aon Investments USA Inc. ADV Form Part 2A disclosure statement is available upon written request to:Aon Investments USA Inc.  200 E. Randolph Street Suite 700 Chicago, IL 60601 ATTN: Aon Investments Compliance

“ESG is not a measure of ‘good company versus bad company.' ESG is a collection of roughly 200 different metrics around environmental, social, and government governance data. The way I look at ESG is, it's a measure of transparency; how much information do I have to make an informed decision about a company?” – Kai Gray The finer details of this episode:The changing landscape of ESG adoption and its extension to smaller companiesRegulations and disclosures required by federal agencies for government contractsOpportunities for the accounting profession in the ESG field Episode resources:Summit Virtual CFO by Anders website: https://www.summitcpa.net/If you have questions or would like to be a guest on the show, email us at mcpasuccessshow@anderscpa.comCheck out the Virtual CFO Playbook Course: https://vcfoplaybook.summitcpa.net/https://www.esgmotive.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kaigray/  

This week I had the distinct pleasure of visiting with former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, the Honorable Leo E. Strine, Jr., Of Counsel, at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. Judge Strine and I discuss the intense focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards and the pressures on corporate directors and managers occasioned by the Caremark decision and its progeny, among other developments. These initiatives have particular relevance to businesses many of our clients and listeners manage, as they often involve environmentally sensitive chemical products and manufacturing operations. We discuss Judge Strine's thoughts on implementing ESG programs by building upon existing corporate compliance programs and how best to allocate compliance responsibilities between corporate boards and senior management. Leo E. Strine, Jr., Kirby M. Smith, and Reilly S. Steel, “Caremark and ESG, Perfect Together: A Practical Approach to Implementing an Integrated, Efficient, and Effective Caremark and EESG Strategy,” Iowa Law Review, Volume 106, Issue 4, 2021. https://ilr.law.uiowa.edu/print/volume-106-issue-4/caremark-and-esg-perfect-together-a-practical-approach-to-implementing-an-integrated-efficient-and-effective-caremark-and-eesg-strategy Leo E. Strine, Jr., “Good Corporate Citizenship We Can All Get Behind?: Toward A Principled, Non-Ideological Approach To Making Money The Right Way,” The Business Lawyer, Volume 78, Spring 2023. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4296287 ALL MATERIALS IN THIS PODCAST ARE PROVIDED SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL  AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES. THE MATERIALS ARE NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE OR THE PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES. ALL LEGAL QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ANSWERED DIRECTLY BY A LICENSED ATTORNEY PRACTICING IN THE APPLICABLE AREA OF LAW. ©2024 Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.  All Rights Reserved

Learn what ESG is all about as we look at the environmental, social and governance companies are making. >>> The post Skills 360 – ESG: Environmental, Social and Governance first appeared on Business English Pod :: Learn Business English Online.

Today I'm talking to someone with an incredibly long and varied career at the intersection between science, technology and insurance and reinsurance, on both the broking and underwriting sides of the business. Now Mike Steel is General Manager of Moody's RMS and is serving all facets of the industry from an independent perspective. The legacy RMS business effectively invented the insurance and reinsurance modelling industry and from the evidence that follows, it has been reinvigorated by its acquisition by global ratings agency and data and analytics firm Moody's. I often liken the business of modelling to being a precision arms manufacturer when there's a war on – demand for your products is insatiable. These days as formerly secondary perils become indistinguishable from primary threats and new digital and environmental ones are being created all the time, it is clear that the insurance war is opening up on multiple new fronts. Being part of Moody's is giving this business a whole new perspective on the world of risk, as well as far greater operational and financial capabilities to help measure and analyse those risks. This could manifest itself in developing new products for non-insurance financial institutions and governments, or trying to codify Environmental Social and Governance factors in a format that the insurance industry can easily adopt. What follows is a fascinating run through of what is in Mike's very varied inbox. It is important and valuable work that is going to keep Moody's RMS and Mike very busy for decades to come. Near the end of this Podcast I remark that Mike has a really interesting job. And after a listen to this episode, I'm pretty sure you'll agree LINKS: https://www.rms.com/

Hear from a prolific writer and fund manager about his view of the risk premia from ESG and what's next.

I had the chance to chat with Jessica Pilz, Head of Sustainable Investing at £90bn Asset Manager, Fiera Capital. Topics included: How to integrate Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) considerations into commercial investment decisions, and when to say no to attractive financial returns Innovation and ‘insetting' instead of offsetting How to use partnerships to address complex environmental and social challenges whilst achieving commercial success Guest website: https://www.fieracapital.com/en Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-pilz-483b1b1b/ Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annaclareharper/ Host website: https://www.greenresi.com/

ABOUT KEN NISCH:Ken's LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/ken-nisch-a1922325BIO:No one knows retail better than Ken. His resume includes brands big and small, local and global – with an award list to match. His consumer knowledge and entrepreneurial insights have been an integral part of the conceptual development and strategic image positioning for many retail operators, manufacturers and brand marketers in multiple verticals for more than 40 years.Ken has been named a “Retail Luminary” and “Retail Influencer” by design:retail Magazine and currently serves on their Editorial Board. He was inducted into the Retail Design Institute Legion of Honor, recognizing his outstanding career achievement in the field of retail store design and also presented with the Asia Retail Leadership Award at the Asia Retail Congress in Mumbai, India.ClientsAllen Edmonds, Blue Nile, Disney, El Palacio de Hierro, Five Below, Hershey's, H&M, Mayo Clinic, Museum of Arts and Design, Paradies Lagardère, Signet, Sleep Number, Sundance, The North Face, Warner Bros., Whole Foods MarketRecognition“Retail Luminary” and “Retail Influencer” by design:retail MagazineEditorial Board for design:retail MagazineInducted into the Retail Design Institute Legion of Honor, recognizing his outstanding career achievement in the field of retail store design.Asia Retail Leadership Award – Honored at the Asia Retail Congress in Mumbai, India. SHOW INTRO:Welcome to the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast.These dynamic dialogues based on our acronym DATA - design, architecture, technology, and the arts crosses over disciplines but maintains a common thread of people who are passionate about the world we live in and human's influence on it, the ways we craft the built environment to maximize human experience, increasing our understanding of human behavior and searching for the New Possible.The NXTLVL Experience Design podcast is presented by VMSD magazine. VMSD is the publisher of VMSD magazine and brings us, in the brand experience world, the International Retail Design Conference. The IRDC is one of the best retail design conferences that there is bringing together the world of retailers, brands and experience place makers every year for two days of engaging conversations and pushing the discourse forward on what makes retailing relevant.You will find the archive of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast on VMSD.com.Thanks also goes to Shop Association the only global retail trade association dedicated to elevating the in-store experience. SHOP Association represents companies and affiliates from 25 countries and brings value to their members through research, networking, education, events and awards. Check then out on SHOPAssociation.orgIn this episode I talk with Ken Nisch Chairman of JGA an internationally recognized design firm. Ken recently has also    co-authored with Vilma barr a new book titled Sustainability for Retail: How Retail Leaders Create Environmental, Social, & Cultural Innovations.It is a great global overview of retailers and brands who are leading the way on how sustainable deign practice will shape retail places in the new future.Before we get into the talk with Ken a few thoughts on sustainability  and retail place making.***********Over the past couple of seasons of the show I have had a handful of guests who have focused our discussion on sustainability – the internationally acclaimed designer Bruce Mau, of Massive Change Network where we talked about his life and approaches to design and a number of the key ideas from his book “Massive Change”  Denise Naguib of Marriott International, Christian Davies of Bergmeyer, Martin Kingdon of Popai and how the sustainability issue is being addressed in the UK and Ireland, architect Yasmine Mahmoudieh whose eco-centric mindset shapes her design approach with sustainable materials like mycelium and a few seasons ago, Caspar Schols who created Cabin ANNA a truly innovative house design that literally transforms, opening up to the elements placing its inhabitants under the stars, should they want to be, while they sleep.The conversations have covered a lot of ground ranging from talking about the impact of packaging covering the products we buy every time we visit a store. It doesn't really matter what type, could be clothing, hardware or grocery, packaging figures prominently in all of them……to the footprint of a global hospitality behemoth with over 8000 hotels most of whom provide hotel guests with a couple bottles of water when they arrive – A nice amenity with a potentially huge ecological impact since, despite how much we may believe in recycling a lot of those bottles still end up in a landfill. This by the way, is not simply a Marriott hotels issue, it applies to the hotel industry as a whole.We've discussed the impact of the building industry at large with respect to its contribution to CO2 in the atmosphere and therefore th e global climate crisis. Ithink that most of us who are connected to the building industry either as architects and designers, manufacturers, general contractors, installers and other suppliers to the built environment, are increasingly aware of the implications of putting millions of square feet of new buildings on good ‘ole ‘terra firma.' It is estimated that about 40% of CO2 emissions are related, in some way, to the building construction industry.When we think about being a good steward of this planet that we have been gifted, is not just about doing ‘less bad.' It's about a fundamental shift in the way we see ourselves in relation to this little blue dot.  I think it's about appreciating that the planet has been here a long, long, time before we ever walked it and it will be here a long time after we are gone. The irony is that when humankind leaves mother earth, as I suspect we will, evolving into an interplanetary species, she will be just fine without us. I don't think she will pine like a parent after dropping her young adult off at college and eagerly await their return at the holidays.There are some who say that it is already too late; that the current efforts to stem the effects of pumping toxins into the air and seas leading to climate change and the potential for an ecological catastrophe, are not going to reverse what is already well on its way. But that would be to live without hope and so, there are those who hold to the idea that if we created this state of affairs, we can uncreate it. That we have designed our way here and we can therefore design our way out. And in that, I find the encouragement to continue on believing that design, while not the only contributing factor in solving the climate issue, is a fundamental piece in the solution. Let's assume we too will be here for a long, long time and that the cynical view of us leaving scorched earth behind as we rocket off to evolve into an inter planetary species, perhaps to do it again elsewhere, will not come to pass. Suppose what is now a rumbling becomes a global cacophony of ‘hell no,' we learn, and we collectively embrace the idea that our current path is unsustainable. To get there, everyday people, governments, associations, brands and retailers need to do more and talk about what they are doing more. Policy and practice at the level of governing a nation, a business or your family needs to put the discussion at the head of the spear and keep it there. Sustainability has become a defining feature of why a consumer will or will not align him or her self with a brand. How the core ideological ideas around ESG and DEI that underpin a brand come to life in an experience place are critical determinants of engagement. The principles on which a company stands related to sustainability can make or break the connection between a brand or retailer and a consumer. It's not just what they say but what they do that makes a difference. This is a two-way ‘putting your money where your mouth is.' Businesses that invest in sustainability initiatives enhance the likelihood of consumers investing in them. Emerging consumers want to know that companies align with their individual points of view on these issues for brand adoption to happen. Consumes want to know if the brand promotes ideas, policies and practices that match theirpersonal positions rather than, as a consumer, they are attaching themselves to a brand to accrue a sense of identity or belonging to the brand's platform. This may seem like a subtle shift, but consumers show up already certain about their mindset on issues of sustainability and they quickly determine whether or not the brand is on their team – not the other way around.And so, when you read a book like “Sustainability for Retail: How Retail Leaders Create Environmental, Social, & Cultural Innovations” by this episode's guest Ken Nisch, you get an overview of how the sustainability issue is being highlighted by standouts in the retail industry around the world.Ken and his co-author Vilma Barr provide a well-rounded summary of retail brands and companies who are ‘doing the right thing.' Use to be that many of them didn't wear their efforts on their sleave, they just planted trees or sustainably sourced materials or engaged in fare trade practices because they believed it was, well… the right thing to do. Seemed obvious to them.As they pursued the sustainable path, not beating their chest, in self-congratulations, their efforts were certainly having positive impact on the planet but maybe not in heightening awareness and the urgency to act now.Well… a lot of that has changed in recent years and customers want to know where brands stand on the issues. As awareness grows, change gets a foot hold and conscious awareness of the issues becomes increasing woven into how retailing is done.When someone like Ken Nisch canvases the retail world to promote companies who are addressing the sustainability issue, he does it from a place of knowing who's who.His resume includes brands big and small, local and global – with an award list to match. His consumer knowledge and entrepreneurial insights have been an integral part of the conceptual development and strategic image positioning for many retail operators, manufacturers and brand marketers in multiple verticals for more than 40 years.Ken has been named a “Retail Luminary” and “Retail Influencer” by design:retail Magazine and currently serves on their Editorial Board. He was inducted into the Retail Design Institute's Legion of Honor, recognizing his outstanding career achievement in the field of retail store design.He was also presented with the Asia Retail Leadership Award at the Asia Retail Congress in Mumbai, India.Ken Nisch has worked with Disney, Hershey's, H&M, Mayo Clinic, Sleep Number, Sundance, The North Face, Warner Bros., Whole Foods Market and a host of other great brands.In this discussion, Ken Nisch and I unpack a number of efforts being done on the sustainability front by companies in the retail industry. There are certainly more than those I pull from Ken's book for us to talk about.What “Sustainability for Retail…”clearly establishes is the idea that the ground swell of initiatives that retailers and brands are taking on will likely grow changing the retail landscape.Talking about these issues increases awareness. The outgrowth of these concepts being at the forefront of our thinking as we create retail stores, is that places of customer engagement remain relevant as crucibles for more than simply the exchange of goods and services.They are places where ideas and commerce are connected. Stores are much more than a place to get something at a good price. They can be places where ideas that matter, that concern us all, come to life. ABOUT DAVID KEPRON:LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/david-kepron-9a1582bWebsites: https://www.davidkepron.com    (personal website)vmsd.com/taxonomy/term/8645  (Blog)Email: david.kepron@NXTLVLexperiencedesign.comTwitter: DavidKepronPersonal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidkepron/NXTLVL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtlvl_experience_design/Bio:David Kepron is a multifaceted creative professional with a deep curiosity to understand ‘why', ‘what's now' and ‘what's next'. He brings together his background as an architect, artist, educator, author, podcast host and builder to the making of meaningful and empathically-focused, community-centric customer connections at brand experience places around the globe. David is a former VP - Global Design Strategies at Marriott International. While at Marriott, his focus was on the creation of compelling customer experiences within Marriott's “Premium Distinctive” segment which included: Westin, Renaissance, Le Meridien, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Design Hotels and Gaylord hotels. In 2020 Kepron founded NXTLVL Experience Design, a strategy and design consultancy, where he combines his multidisciplinary approach to the creation of relevant brand engagements with his passion for social and cultural anthropology, neuroscience and emerging digital technologies. As a frequently requested international speaker at corporate events and international conferences focusing on CX, digital transformation, retail, hospitality, emerging technology, David shares his expertise on subjects ranging from consumer behaviors and trends, brain science and buying behavior, store design and visual merchandising, hotel design and strategy as well as creativity and innovation. In his talks, David shares visionary ideas on how brand strategy, brain science and emerging technologies are changing guest expectations about relationships they want to have with brands and how companies can remain relevant in a digitally enabled marketplace. David currently shares his experience and insight on various industry boards including: VMSD magazine's Editorial Advisory Board, the Interactive Customer Experience Association, Sign Research Foundation's Program Committee as well as the Center For Retail Transformation at George Mason University.He has held teaching positions at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.), the Department of Architecture & Interior Design of Drexel University in Philadelphia, the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising (L.I.M.) in New York, the International Academy of Merchandising and Design in Montreal and he served as the Director of the Visual Merchandising Department at LaSalle International Fashion School (L.I.F.S.) in Singapore.  In 2014 Kepron published his first book titled: “Retail (r)Evolution: Why Creating Right-Brain Stores Will Shape the Future of Shopping in a Digitally Driven World” and he is currently working on his second book to be published soon. David also writes a popular blog called “Brain Food” which is published monthly on vmsd.com.    The next level experience design podcast is presented by VMSD magazine and Smartwork Media. It is hosted and executive produced by David Kepron. Our original music and audio production by Kano Sound. The content of this podcast is copywrite to David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design. Any publication or rebroadcast of the content is prohibited without the expressed written consent of David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design.Make sure to tune in for more NXTLVL “Dialogues on DATA: Design Architecture Technology and the Arts” wherever you find your favorite podcasts and make sure to visit vmsd.com and look for the tab for the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast there too.

#BESTOF2021: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)  investing  is the new new on Wall Street. @RichardAEpstein. @HooverInst https://www.hoover.org/research/creeping-coercion-under-stakeholder-banner 1941 TIMES SQUARE

“When people think of Warren Buffet they think investor and business icon, but he is an expert in corporate governance.”  On today's episode of “The Future is Bright,” Larry Cunningham, special counsel at Mayer Brown, tells the story of his organizing and hosting a two-day symposium with business magnate Warren Buffett at Cardozo Law School in 1996. The intellectual traction and gains produced therein–a rare occurrence for such high-level discussions–were aided by the moderation of Charlie Munger, who has been called Warren Buffet's closest partner at Buffett's holding firm Berkshire Hathaway. Given Buffett's valuable insights into corporate governance, Larry wanted to call greater attention to Buffet's largely scattered and isolated writings, and used them as the basis for the panel discussions. The results became the best-selling book “The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America.” Larry recalls his efforts to almost single-handedly print and distribute the book in response to the almost immediate demand for it. The foundational feature at Berkshire Hathaway is trust, Larry says, in contrast to the American business model standard of policies, controls and procedures. Buffett operates under the assumption that most people are not trustworthy, but that a much smaller number of people are infinitely so. He surrounds himself with select members of the latter. Even when organizing the symposium, Buffett was very hands-off, never second-guessing his proposals and leaving all decisions in Larry's hands.  Recently Larry has pivoted away from academia and toward the practice of law. He raises a new pressing issue regarding corporate governance: the extremes to which some groups have taken the Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) considerations for corporations as initiated by the UN. Hear his thoughts on this and more in today's discussion.    Quotes “He was exactly as you perceive him in his public persona, and exactly as he behaves in his businesses, to wit: totally hands off, delegated everything to me, didn't second guess anything that I proposed…His management philosophy is to put decision-making power in the hands of the people closest to the issue.” (6:47 | Larry) “We had 200 seats. You couldn't do a conference with Warren Buffet with 200 seats today. You could try to do, say, 40,000.” (7:55 | Larry) “We had traction. Sometimes you get these gatherings together, and people just talk past each other and they leave in the same position in which they came. Here we had real engagement, identification of overlaps and reinterpretations of positions and some wonderful intellectual gains.” (10:16 | Larry)  “I then went into marketing and letting everyone know, through direct mail. Again, this is pre- internet really, but some direct mailings. I created leaflets and I rode my bicycle over Manhattan dropping them off to all of the quality firms who would care about this, and word of mouth started to build.” (18:23 | Larry) “Warren's relationship with all those people and with me which I saw firsthand was trust. Trust in all of those features, you see, a desire and a will, to trust.” (22:52 | Larry) Links Connect with Larry Cunningham:  LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-cunningham-68b7574b/ Mayer Brown web bio https://www.mayerbrown.com/en/people/c/lawrence-cunningham?tab=overview Amazon Author website and Books for sale: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001IYVE0M   Connect with Chris Batz: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbatz/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theliongroupkc  Instagram: @theliongroupllc Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm  

In this podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Lynnette Heath about nVent's Environmental, Social and Governance Report. Lynnette Heath (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnetteheath/)is nVent's Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer and ESG People pillar executive sponsor. Prior to joining nVent, she was the Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources at Twin Cities-based Entrust Datacard. Check out the ⁠HCI Academy⁠: Courses, Micro-Credentials, and Certificates to Upskill and Reskill for the Future of Work! Check out the LinkedIn ⁠Alchemizing Human Capital⁠ Newsletter. Check out Dr. Westover's book, ⁠The Future Leader⁠. Check out Dr. Westover's book, ⁠'Bluer than Indigo' Leadership⁠. Check out Dr. Westover's book, ⁠The Alchemy of Truly Remarkable Leadership⁠. Check out the latest issue of the ⁠Human Capital Leadership magazine⁠. Each HCI Podcast episode (Program, ID No. 627454) has been approved for 0.50 HR (General) recertification credit hours toward aPHR™, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®). Each HCI Podcast episode (Program ID: 24-DP529) has been approved for 0.50 HR (General) SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCPHR recertification through SHRM, as part of the knowledge and competency programs related to the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge™ (the SHRM BASK™). Human Capital Innovations has been pre-approved by the ATD Certification Institute to offer educational programs that can be used towards initial eligibility and recertification of the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) and Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) credentials. Each HCI Podcast episode qualifies for a maximum of 0.50 points.

Honeywell's 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report outlines how we are building a strong foundation for a sustainable future. In this podcast episode, Anne Madden, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, joins Laura Kelleher, Chief Marketing Officer, to discuss Honeywell's ESG journey, the progress we are making toward our commitments, and how other business leaders can implement a sound ESG strategy and execute on their goals.  Explore the 2023 ESG Report: https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/company/esg-report Find more stories that explore the future of life and business: https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/newsLet's connect! Follow Honeywell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/honeywell/Follow Honeywell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeywell/

​​The Childfree Wealth Podcast, hosted by Bri Conn and Dr. Jay Zigmont, CFP®, is a financial and lifestyle podcast that explores the unique perspectives and concerns of childfree individuals and couples. In this episode, Bri & Dr. Jay discuss ESGs.ESGs investing, short for Environmental, Social, Governance, is based on the concept of avoiding companies that include oil, weapons manufacturing, & exploit child labor. It has gained traction over the years by those looking to be socially conscious in their investments. However, it hasn't all been smooth sailing. Not only have ESGs historically shown lower returns, opponents of ESGs & trying to prevent advisors from discussing them.Resources:Investing for GoodESG StrategiesInvesting 101Invest in What You UnderstandWhere to Hold InvestmentsHow Investments Impact Your Financial PlanBe sure to join the conversation by emailing us at podcast@childfreewealth.com, following Childfree Wealth on social media, or visiting our website www.childfreewealth.com!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childfreewealth/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChildfreeWealthLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/childfree-wealth/Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational & entertainment purposes. Please consult your advisor before implementing any ideas heard on this podcast.

In this podcast interview, Fabien Cros is hosting Hanae Chino, the ESG Director at Webhelp. She delved into the pivotal roles of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and Impact Sourcing in the company's value creation strategy. She emphasized that Webhelp's commitment to ESG is not merely a trend but a core part of their long-term sustainability plans. Impact sourcing, in particular, stands out as a transformative approach where the company actively hires from socio-economically disadvantaged communities. This is not seen as an act of charity but rather an untapped reservoir of potential and talent. The most profound value derived from this strategy has been a marked improvement in employee retention. Chino shared compelling data highlighting decreased turnover rates and further elaborated on the ripple effects, including heightened employee morale, enhanced company reputation, and broader societal benefits. Looking forward, Hanae Chino envisions ESG and impact sourcing becoming even more integral to Webhelp's operations, potentially setting a benchmark for the industry.****The PricingForThePlanet podcast delves into the fusion of business and sustainability, highlighting profitable and sustainable business models. We emphasize that sustainability isn't just a responsibility—it's a lucrative opportunity. Tune in for insights on how businesses can thrive while being eco-friendly****Join our free PricingForThePlanet bi-weekly digest on Monetizing and Pricing Sustainability: https://www.pricingfortheplanet.com/weeklydigest Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should businesses play a role in pushing society towards positive outcomes regarding environmental and social issues? Today we're breaking down my thoughts on ESG by looking at what it should be, what it is, and what it is not. Full Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/zeihan/ask-peter-my-thoughts-on-environmental-social-governance-esg

Ever since the Securities and Exchange Commission announced its intention to make Environmental Social and Governance metrics actually mean something to investors, polluting industries have suddenly turned on ESG. Now that fight has a legal strategy, being carried out by the Republican Attorneys General Association. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Today's Episode - ?? Chuck has figured it out – we keep hearing about “Trump Judges” – these are not Trump Judges; they are McConnell Judges.  You have these guys in place who are anti trump, establishment guys just like McConnell is.  Mark says that there are a lot of judges, and trump appointed a lot of them, but there is no way that Trump knew them all.  Mark and Chuck were talking over the weekend about ESG.  Blackrock is very interested in this, millions of dollars in pensions.  ESG is Environmental Social Governance – which means corporation have a responsibility to the world that exceeds profitability.  That the pursuit of profit is immoral.  Where did this ESG come from???  Funny it comes out of the world economic forum and our old buddy Claus Schwab.  When a company is pursuing ESG, they are pursuing saving the planet, racial justice, LGBTQIA over profitability.   Most of the big banks are in line with ESG.  They will not give loans out to businesses that are not ESG compliant.  Companies and investors like Blackrock will not invest if you are not ESG compliant.  The premise of the World Economic Forum is that like a small, enlightened group of people need to make all the decisions for the whole world. 

Budlight featuring a trans person, target "targeting" kids, The Big Gay Ford Raptor, Balenciaga featuring kids in BDSM gear. Why is all of this happening? It is because of the ESG scores being implemented and forced by the SEC. All of America and most of Europe has been experiencing the harsh propaganda being shoved down our throats. The bankers, the Stock brokers and holders and the security and exchange commission run this realm. We gotta keep speaking out! Keep that third eye open!To Sign up for our Patreon go to-> Patreon.com/cultofconspiracypodcastTo sign up for Rokfin go to -->Rokfin.com/cultofconspiracyVisit Devotedbeautycosmetics.com & use promo code: Cult for 10% OFF the C.O.C. Bundle> https://www.devotedbeautycosmetcis.com/obsidian-mens-line/cult-of-conspiracy-bundle--->For all of your Cult of Conspiracy needs! Including discounts to Adam&Eve & MERCH! Go to -> https://linktr.ee/cultofconspiracyThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5700337/advertisement

Target is catching a lot of heat over its Pride displays. That led us to wonder how companies do the calculus of Environmental/Social/Governance (ESG) decisions. Jason Pettit is an associate professor at the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas and teaches a course on exactly these kinds of decisions. He joined Jason.

Get ready for part two of our insightful ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) discussion on the Count Me In podcast. Our expert panel, Douglas, Dan, and Catie, unpack the pressures and fraud risks inherent in ESG reporting, offering invaluable insights gleaned from real-world scenarios. But it's not just about identifying risks; they also provide practical guidance for those embarking on their ESG journey. Learn how to start with what you have, concentrate on materiality, and establish a robust, cross-functional ESG team. Tune in for an essential roadmap to navigate the complexities of ESG reporting in today's business landscape. This is one episode you won't want to miss!Connect with our speakers:Catie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ctserex/Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-mosher-8552519/Doug: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-hileman-fsa-crma-cpea-p-e-6abbb71/Download the reports mentioned into today's podcast:Achieving Effective Internal Control Over Sustainability ReportingManaging Fraud Risks in an Evolving ESG EnvironmentFull Episode Transcript:Adam:            Welcome back to Count Me In. Today we have part two of Unraveling ESG. We're joined, again, by Catie Selex, Douglas Hileman, and Dan Mosher for the completion of their conversation. Now, if you didn't hear part one, I encourage you to pause right now and listen to that first. In today's episode, we explore the challenges and risks of ESG reporting, including the potential for fraud. Our experts delve into the pressures companies face and discuss real-world examples of how well-intentioned sustainability efforts can sometimes lead to misreporting and potential fraud. But it's not all about the pitfalls, they also offer essential guidance to those new to ESG. Emphasizing the importance of starting with existing resources, focusing on materiality, and setting up the dedicated cross-functional ESG team. Don't miss this invaluable conversation, so let's get started. [00:00:55]       < Music > Dan:                Doug, I mentioned the ACFE's Fraud Triangle earlier, and I'm eager to hear some of your perspectives on applying that Fraud Triangle to ESG.  Doug:              Thank you, Dan, it can be done too. It's a familiar construct, and I was fortunate to be an in-house at a Big Four when Sarbanes-Oxley hit. And at the very beginning of designing internal controls and testing internal controls, we had to consider the possibility of fraud.We had to design controls to prevent fraud, in audits we had to detect fraud.  Being an environmental specialist, and then with the IIA coming out with changing their IPPF, their framework, to require testing for fraud. I've been testing for fraud and considering fraud for 20 years, in the environmental space since 2002. It looks a little different for ESG, but not as different as you might think. There is pressure, pressure can be, "We've got to get this report out." "The customer wants this answer." "We have to say, for example, that our products didn't come from Bangladesh, so what the heck? How will they find out?" There's so much pressure. I see that people are involved in ESG, in this non-financial reporting, as an add-on to their jobs. It might be 20% of their job, and it's the 20% between 120 and 140% of what they're supposed to do. People are under, and companies, are under tremendous pressure to put the right answer out there.  They have the opportunity to do so because the controls are not designed, and have not been implemented with the potential for fraud in mind. So where there are weak controls or no controls, the opportunities are there. I see this comes into play, also, when data and information comes from outside the organization. There's this tricky thing where so much of what we do, in ESG, is not only what the organization controls but what the organization can influence. There are some challenges there, how do you control what you don't control?  So the opportunity is there because the controls can be weak or nonexistent. And the rationalization can be, "Well, everybody does it."  Or "It's not about money, it's about prestige." "It's not really this, we want the award." We've seen, for example, there's a magazine, an organization, that rates colleges, the 10 best colleges in each thing. And we've started to see, in recent years, where the colleges are even fudging the information to get the prestige of being in that award. That may have secondary effects for how many people go to that college or what they're willing to pay for tuition, but that's fraud.  In my book, if you submit data and information that is incorrect, or inaccurate, or misleading, with the intent to deceive at the expense of others. Especially if that turns into actual or potential financial gain, I call that fraud. So that applies on all three sides of the triangle. It's just a matter of thinking about this ESG and non-financial world and how that can happen. Dan:                Excellent, Doug. Yes, maybe, just to add a couple of extra points around those pressures and incentives. Today we are seeing that there is incentive compensation for certain executives that is linked to various ESG measures. If you think about that and the opportunity for management override of certain controls that are out there, that's a great incentive.  If you're going to get paid a bigger bonus because of greater ESG metrics, and your ESG, for example, your emissions information is held in Excel spreadsheet, which in many cases that is the case. I saw a survey, not so long ago, of more than a thousand executives saying that, I think, it was 86% of them had their emissions data just sitting in a spreadsheet. And if you could change that with a few keystrokes, at the executive level, to boost your bonus, someone might do that. Other things I think of are from an incentive or pressure standpoint. Things around ESG-linked bonds or credits where there are a key performance indicators and you're required to maintain those metrics, to maintain certain interest rates or payment on your bond. Those things are out there and they're going to influence some portion of those that are held to them. Catie, maybe, you have some other thoughts around this as well? Catie:              Yes, Dan, so one of the things that we're seeing in ESG, especially because people are so compelled to make great strides on their data and to make progress towards their targets, in a very quick manner, is there's an emerging market of solutions that some are absolutely legitimate and there's good actors, but they're also bad actors. So one real-life example of this happening is the Vatican used a third party to preserve a forest area, as part of its carbon offset effort and to help move towards its emissions reductions targets. So, in this instance, the Vatican thought that it had protected an area of Hungarian Forest as part of that reductions plan, but that actually never happened.So while there were good intentions to reduce the Vatican's emissions footprint, ultimately, that desire left them to susceptible to fraud by this third party. So that's something else to think about is as you're incorporating other entities, that are outside of your organizational boundaries to help you reach these targets, are they genuine good actors?  Have you conducted the due diligence to ensure that they're going to support you in getting to those targets, as opposed to hinder or even mislead you, which could lead to misreporting on your part? And, Dan, I wanted to get back to that pressure element. A lot of the clients that we're working with are in those early stages of ESG reporting, and are just getting their program started. So, Dan, Doug, and I am happy to contribute, as well, but what are some guidance that we can give to listeners? In terms of for those who are at ground zero and need to start reporting, and disclosing, and to ease some of the pressure that they're experiencing from stakeholders and regulators. What are some ways that they can approach this? What are some tools that they can use to mitigate associated risks?  Dan:                I'll go ahead and start. So I refer back to some of those frameworks, that you have mentioned, Catie, as a starting point. In terms of the kinds of disclosures that an organization might make in a certain business sector. I think that they should be taking stock of the various channels in which they might be reporting that information, and looking at the various kinds of scenarios, in which the information might be incomplete or inaccurate. So even just thinking about those processes will get them on a good path forward.  I think that you probably want to think about starting fairly small, with the kinds of disclosures, and build upon those as your maturity from an ESG perspective grows. Doug, what are your thoughts? Doug:              For companies just starting out, or in the early stages, what I would say to them is, first, just recognize this is not a hobby. This is not a nice to do, this is a business imperative and it is not going away. Put the right people on it and devote resources to it, who can really get things moving. Another thing I would say is, one of my phrases, is begin with what you've got because you really can't begin with anything else. A gap assessment is a really good idea. What are the requirements that are expected from the general capital markets?  What are the questions you're getting from impact investors and customers, where you're getting that pull and you're expected to provide something? Well, what is it you have? Companies may have a little more information than they think they have. Because much of this information is already being collected to achieve regulatory compliance obligations, with let's say the EPA, or with OSHA, or the Department of Labor. Is that data and information fit for purpose or can it be modified a little bit, to meet the expectations of the stakeholders who want this kind of reporting and disclosures? Another point I would say, we've touched upon the cross-functional team. This cannot be the responsibility of any one person. This is a team effort because this non-financial information touches every part of your business internally, and it touches many parts of your business externally. With your providers of capital, your banks, your insurance companies, your customers. So all the people who engage in external relations with folks outside the company, it has to include those.  One tip I would say is climate change is the single biggest issue of our time and climate change and climate change reporting, greenhouse gas emissions reporting, is expected of everybody. So climate change has got to be on your agenda. There is some specialized expertise that comes with that.  I would suggest that climate change has even its own team and its own work streams. I think supporting that when the ISSB put out their two exposure drafts. They had one for all sustainability reporting disclosures and one for climate change risk and exposures. So you've got to address climate change. And, finally, I would say I put in a shameless plug for using the COSO Framework, that if the data is going to be complete. If it's going to be accurate, if it's going to be verifiable if you're going to have the right people with access to it and only the right people with access to this data. There's nowhere better to start than that COSO Internal Controls Framework. And even backing up that COSO Enterprise Risk Management Framework to lead into materiality. And to lead into what are the issues where we should be reporting on and focus our efforts.  To use an extreme example, if you're a Chevron you're not going to bet the company on recycling paper. So what are the issues that matter to you as a company? Where you invest your time, your resources, your people, and your initiatives on improving performance.  Catie:              And, Doug, you brought up a great point when it comes to materiality, and I want to make sure that for our listeners, they know that when it comes to ESG and sustainability, materiality is separate and distinct from the concept of materiality under federal state securities law, as well as GAAP. And that's because items that are material to ESG they're not, necessarily, the same as those that are material under securities law or GAAP.  So one of the ways that we help clients and, especially, our year zero clients who are trying to uncover what is material to their company. We always recommend starting with a materiality assessment, and ESG strategy and policy development. This is going to help you set your own guardrails so that you don't overextend or overcommit on ESG. Doug mentioned that climate change is becoming one of those topics, that companies absolutely need to have resources and teams dedicated to. And I'm seeing that with most of my clients, climate, even if it's not on the horizon immediately, it's coming.  And, so, it's something that you will need to consider and continue to refresh what's material to you. So having those assessments, we recommend every two to three years because material topics for ESG are not stagnant. You don't select them, and then that's what you have for the entirety of your company's lifespan. They change because society changes, the political environment changes, and the actual environment changes. So you want to make sure that you're staying on top of and looking ahead to what those risks are.  So that you've got the data, mechanisms, and the internal control processes in place, to be able to have that data, have those baselines that you need. And then as you're planning out your ESG programming, set realistic goals and targets. So that you're not overextending yourself and that you are setting commitments that you know that you can achieve, and you're not falling victim to the fraud triangle in an attempt to achieve those commitments that you set for yourself. Dan:                Doug, I know you talked a bit about the great importance of climate change and emissions reporting. I did want to give our listeners some food for thought around emissions reporting. If you think about how some of that emissions reporting takes place, it's a calculation. So, for example, I've been in touch with a large organization. They calculate some of their emissions, taking their rented square footage of office space and applying the relevant coefficient to it, to come up with an estimate of their emissions.  I asked the question, well, "You have a number of offices across the country. What would happen if you, accidentally, forgot the Dallas office? Would someone catch it?" And the answer was, "Not necessarily." And, so, the care and the completeness, and the extra effort to make sure you have that completeness, it can be challenging, but I think it's completely necessary. Because if something could be forgotten accidentally, it could be forgotten on purpose, and if it's forgotten on purpose that's contributing to fraud.  Catie:              And to add to that point, Dan, some of the frameworks, specific to climate, already have built-in mechanisms to help you guard against that fraud. So, for instance, The Greenhouse Gas Protocols Corporate Standard sets guidelines for when to recalculate your corporate base year emissions. Because companies are setting their targets and their reduction strategies based upon that base year calculation. And, so, there are some particularities in terms of, for instance, if your company goes through an acquisition and your footprint goes by X percent, that is what triggers a base year recalculation for your emissions metrics specifically. And, so, that's a policy example. That's an example of a policy that you would want to have in place for some of these metrics.  So that as your company continues to grow, and circumstances change, and your footprint either shrinks or increases, based upon your operational size. You'll want to have policies in place so that you know when to recalculate your base year, so that you're continuing to report complete and accurate data.  Doug:              I think carbon emissions reporting, encapsulates everything we've discussed on this podcast and everything that's in both of our reports, the COSO Report and ACFE Report. And I think we could probably do a separate podcast on that. I'd encourage our listeners, many of whom are accountants, to read the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and become familiar with it.  There are operational and technical people doing it, but at its heart it really is an accounting protocol. We've discussed how you put together data and information to meet different purposes. I've worked with clients who get called upon to publish a greenhouse gas report, greenhouse gas emissions, using an operational control basis. Using the equity share basis, using the financial… So there's the same data that needs to be sliced and diced three different ways and for different reporting periods. Catie brings up the good point that there are protocols to restate or to correct errors when identified, or to account for forgotten facilities. There are uncertainties documented in it because many of these emissions that are reported involve estimates. What if you get better estimates? Do you apply that to this reporting period or do you retroactively do that and report it? Much of this involves judgment. What is a material change? So maybe you apply materiality in ways that you would apply it elsewhere or differently. All this has to be documented and the possibility of fraud starts to creep in, when there is the pressure to say, "We are on target for getting carbon neutral by 2030, in accordance with senior management's directives." So they can get their compensation bonus, and we can stay in that ESG-preferred trading fund, and we can get our low-interest rate from the bank or decline from that. If you understand, if accountants, and business folks, and operations, and environmental people take a good look at the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and you overlay that with the COSO Internal Control Framework, and you overlay that with that terrific publication on ESG fraud, from the ACFE. A lot of what we're saying will start to make sense and you will understand where you can contribute to more effective and more efficient reporting, and prevention, and detection, of fraud.  Catie:              So we know that, especially, because ESG is still an emerging discipline and there's different interpretations of data, and some of the data points themselves are evolving. So what do you say to those who are concerned about, unintentionally, misreporting data. And realizing two to three years down the road, "Oops, we made a mistake." How should they approach that in the future?  Doug:              Well, that's a great question, Catie, and we see that all the time. And I predict we will see it a lot more as this field matures, and as companies mature their processes and controls, and as more people take a look at it, both, assurance providers, investors, and the like, we're going to see more of that. And it's understandable that everybody will be handwringing and so afraid of making a mistake. And I go back to what we said 20 years ago, at the beginning of Sarbanes-Oxley. I was on many financial audit teams supporting them as ESG specialist for asset retirement obligations, environmental liabilities. And, well, we don't know the right number. We don't know if it's going to happen, and my advice, at the time, as a non-CPA, just an engineer and auditor is to say, "Well, in good faith, read, interpret what is required, develop a process, document the process, and then follow the process and document that you followed the process and the output from that process." That's what goes on the line item in your financial reporting.  If somebody determines that that was not correct or it can be improved. Maybe it's an internal suggestion, maybe it's from an auditor, maybe it's from an enforcement authority. It doesn't really matter how you discover something that needs to be changed. At least you can produce what it was you did and show that you were consistent with the design. The operation was consistent with the design. If you need to change it later, then change it later. Then comes the question, do we change it from this point going forward or do we have to do an adjustment for prior reporting periods? So that can be part of your process and your criteria. Set a threshold, a materiality threshold for that. Develop a process for how teams consider that and who decides yes or no. It's really using processes that you already have, and apply those for non-financial reporting.  Catie:              And just to jump in there from the ESG perspective, Doug, I think, not every year will be one marked by progress towards your targets. There's a million different circumstances that can affect progression on your commitments. And, so, again, going back to being transparent and communicating challenges and setbacks to your stakeholders, goes a long way in the ESG space. In terms of them continuing to have faith that you are reporting these disclosures, as they go along, and highlighting where you are experiencing those challenges and setbacks. Doug:              That's right.  Dan:                One part of the ACFE's Fraud Triangle is rationalization, and I think that this longer time horizon that Catie was just pointing to, actually, causes some rationalization to happen. Because there's a longer time horizon, someone might say to themselves, "Well, I can catch up next year.Let me fudge the number a little bit this year, and show some progress, and I will make it all better next year." And, so, there is something particular to ESG with that longer time horizon for those commitments being made around, "I'm going to be net zero by such and such a date. Well, that's a long time from now, let me just show that I have progression every year and hope that I can catch up in reality." Dan:                I maintain that non-financial reporting has a couple of attributes that are a little different from financial reporting, or at least they occur in greater proportion. Two of those attributes are much more narrative in non-financial disclosures, descriptions of processes, and also some forward-looking statements. Companies are encouraged to announce goals and targets, which sets the stage for reporting in future reporting periods on their progress to the goals and targets.  One of the things that is starting to look a little different, companies will say, "We are committed to meeting our climate goals for 2040." Where they make some grand, forward-looking narrative statements, and talking to some folks who are reviewing that, and even some of the external auditors, they're comparing those forward-looking narrative statements to where the companies are spending their money.  So if you're making statements and disclosures that are these grand, forward-looking projections, and the auditors see you're spending $7, a year, towards meeting that goal. Well, is that statement itself? Is that disclosure? Is that negligent?  Is that sloppy, or is that in order to get into an ESG fund, or to attract Helen, in ways? Is that tiptoeing into fraud?  I think the dust is yet to settle on that, but the topic is coming up. Dan:                I think it's a great point, Doug, and I'm sure that there are a host of attorneys out there who will, gladly, be spending time to figure out when the line has crossed into fraud. Catie:              And I will add to that, we're seeing a lot of companies set 2040 goals. And just for context, that comes out of the Paris Agreement, saying that the global target for net zero needs to be… Hang on, Adam, let me pause and make sure that I don't misstate this. So part of that Paris Agreement was this global recognition that net zero needs to happen by 2040.  And, so, that's why you're seeing that number come up in a lot of different corporate targets, when it comes to their net zero goals. That said, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, at the company level, in order to achieve that. And there are things that are beyond your control.  So the different breakthrough technologies that are needed in order to accelerate transitioning to a decarbonized economy. There's still a lot of research being done in terms of the electrical grid and the different green technologies that can generate energy, to help reduce that carbon footprint. So I urge caution in terms of setting your goals because it needs to be, again, coming back to the point, it needs to be realistic and something that you think you can achieve. So one thing that we encourage our companies to do is it's great to have a moonshot goal, and if 2040 is your moonshot goal, then that's awesome. But setting those intermediary milestones to hold yourself accountable, to that moonshot goal, is something we really encourage our clients to do.  So that could be as simple as setting your baseline year for Scope 1 and 2 emissions. So that you have a complete understanding of your carbon footprint. And then from there you can understand what are those emission sources that we have? What can we do, that's in our power, to reduce those emissions? Are there simple process changes that can reduce our footprint?  So it's important, again, just go back to what you have already, what you know, and work from there. And there's no shame in having a really great moonshot goal if it's 2040 or if it's not 2040. But I think that setting those intermediary goals is going to be what really helps you to not fall susceptible to the fraud triangle.  Dan:                I think, we've had a really good conversation here and we've covered a lot of ground. Everything from visibility into your supply chain and the challenges raised by that. All of the complexities around data quality for emissions reporting and other sorts of reporting. I really have enjoyed this conversation immensely.  Doug:              As have I, it was a privilege. I hope our listeners enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed having the conversation. Catie:              Yes, thank you to Dan and Doug for this discussion. I really enjoyed chatting with you and, hopefully, the listeners will get some useful information out of this that they can take back to their organizations, and start to implement some of those tools and mechanisms to help them guard against fraud. [00:29:20]       < Outro > Announcer:    This has been Count Me In, IMA's podcast. Providing you with the latest perspectives of thought leaders from the accounting and finance profession. If you like what you heard and you'd like to be counted in, for more relevant accounting and finance education, visit IMA's website at www.imanet.org.

As highlighted in the recent COSO publication on Internal Controls over Sustainability Reporting, good governance and systems for sustainable business activities and ESG reporting require attention to potential risks around fraud and greenwashing.  Reflecting Grant Thornton's recent report on control activities related to these risks, join us as we take a dive deep into the world of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) in business with our latest episode of the 'Count Me In' podcast. Hosted by a panel of experts, which includes Catie Serex, Douglas Hileman and Dan Mosher, our podcast uncovers the truth behind ESG, its importance in today's business world, the challenges it presents, and importantly, its potential role in fraudulent activities. Tune in for a fascinating conversation on ESG reporting, corporate purpose, sustainability, and the latest trends affecting investors, employees, and stakeholders alike. Don't miss this chance to stay informed and ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving world of business.Connect with our speakers:Catie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ctserex/ Dan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-mosher-8552519/Doug: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-hileman-fsa-crma-cpea-p-e-6abbb71/Download the reports mentioned into today's podcast:Achieving Effective Internal Control Over Sustainability ReportingManaging Fraud Risks in an Evolving ESG EnvironmentFull Episode Transcript:Adam:            Hello, and welcome back to another enlightening episode of Count Me In. I'm your host, Adam Larson, and today we're diving deep into the complexities of Environmental, Social, and Governance, ESG, with a distinguished panel of experts. We're joined by Douglas Hileman, an experienced sustainability consultant, with over three decades of experience in environmental management systems, and internal controls.  Alongside him, we have Dan Mosher, a seasoned professional who excels in helping businesses navigate the complexities of sustainability and environmental risks. Last but not least, we welcome Catie Serex. A leader in environmental, health, and safety, auditing and management who assists businesses in integrating sustainable and socially responsible practices.  Today's discussion will delve into the importance of ESG, the challenges businesses face in managing ESG data, and the potential risk of fraud in ESG reporting. Here we go, let's listen in together. [00:01:00]       < Music > Doug:              And one of the things that we might kick off is with a very basic question of what is ESG? Dan, when people ask you this, how do you answer? Dan:                Well, it really is a big umbrella, and I'll ask for some help from Catie in this regard. But ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. And, so, lots of things under that environmental area. Everything from waste management and air quality, climate change. From a social perspective, it could be your human capital management, health and safety matters. Governance, I think of anticorruption, data risks, and the like. So it really is a broad title when we say ESG. Catie, do you have some things you'd like to add to that comment? Catie:              Yes, Dan, you definitely covered the gamut as far as some of the phrasings and the terminology, and really the topics that fall under that ESG umbrella. What I would want to add is that ESG is certainly one of the buzziest words in business today. But you might not know that ESG is, very simply, the newest iteration of concepts you've likely known for a long time. It's been previously known as corporate purpose, sustainability, even philanthropy.  But what differentiates ESG from these previous versions is that it now represents the closest alignment, to date, of business operations, so think about your tangible assets. To those intangible elements of business that drive value. And, in this case, I'm referring to things like customer loyalty, labor environments, community engagement support. And because of this connection, ESG is moving from a nice-to-have to a need-to-have for companies, but also their investors, their customers, and other key stakeholders like their employees. Doug:              I also think of ESG as a convenient taxonomy for all things non-financial. Many people have published those pillars or the word clouds that's in the ACFE report, and what topic goes where. For financial reporting, we know where sales goes and we know where EBITDA goes. We know where those are in a format and how to put the data and information together for clarity and reporting. For all things non-financial, it's just such a sprawling array of topics that ESG serves for one reason, in one way, as just simply a taxonomy. And there are some issues, such as climate change, like Dan mentioned, that really transcend more than one category, if you will. But for purposes of just where do you find it, and how do you manage it, and it can just serve as a taxonomy. Catie, to your point, on how to organize some processes, some controls, some recordings to understand what the organization is doing. Dan:                And I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the various channels in which this information is being put out there in the public. Catie, maybe you have some thoughts around the wide scope of that. Catie:              Yes, so in terms of the reporting side of things and getting to the nuts and bolts of what, I'm sure our listeners are interested in, in terms of, what am I on the hook for? There are a lot of reporting frameworks out there that are guiding folks. And I know that that's been a point of confusion for people is understanding, there are all these different acronyms out there. That I can report to like SASB, or the Global Reporting Initiative, GRI, Task Force for Climate-Related Financial Disclosures or TCFD. There are a lot of frameworks out there, but the field is narrowing.  So some of the communication that we've been seeing from these wider umbrella frameworks, are that they are working together to consolidate. To make things a little bit more straightforward, and to make things a little bit more uniform across the reporting landscape. But that's currently in progress, and this is just a result of this being not in nascent stages, but still in its growth period, and really honing down what are the things that shareholders, regulators, and such need to see when it comes to these ESG disclosures. Dan:                And I know that Doug has been on the front line when things are misreported or omitted, and I'd love to hear some of his worst stories. Doug:              Thank you, Dan. The question about reporting channels is a very good one, and Catie brought up several things that are happening in reporting to general capital markets. I also observe that there are other channels for reporting, including impact investors who may be interested in one particular topic. The general purpose capital reporting takes in one tranche, if you will, of topics that need to come external from an organization, a company.  There are other investors who are interested, let's say, in human rights, or in product conformity, or in diversity, or in commitment to climate, and they want more information about those topics. So you may get information from investor groups or analyst groups, and that's a type of report.  Another channel of reporting that I see is B2B reporting. The customers, and business partners, and banks, joint venture participants, are looking more into non-financial risk management. Non-financial performance and alignment, which is ESG. So before entering business relationships, and even during business relationships up and down the value chain, there's also ESG reporting that happens there.  It is starting to align in some ways that they're asking questions about the same topics, but the questions themselves can be different. And, in many cases, the reporting, the demand for reporting has outpaced companies' abilities to report on the data and information. So that pull has created a bit of a vacuum. And many companies are scrambling to come up with processes, systems, and controls so they can generate the data and information that these stakeholders are expecting in terms of reporting. Catie:              Doug, just to jump in there, from a client perspective, we are seeing that a lot of our clients are getting, especially, those B2B requests from either their suppliers or their downstream supply chain vendors. And the way that we're seeing that manifest is a lot of these larger companies are looking at their supply chain. If you think about greenhouse gas emissions, they're looking at their Scope 3 emissions, which is all value chain.  And, so, they're sending requests to clients like ours that are asking, "What are your Scope 1 and 2 emissions? Because we need to report that." We are seeing clients feeling the pressure to respond to that, to continue to be part of those wider supply chains.  And, so, they're coming to us asking for assistance in figuring out what those ESG metrics are and being able to respond in complete and accurate ways. So that they can continue to have those key customers that are asking for that information. Dan:                Yes, and I'd like to pick up on that point, too, and Catie was just touching on it. I think some of the key challenges are, for businesses today, what is the providence of their ESG data?  What is the confidence they have over the accuracy and completeness of it?  And what is the integrity and quality of that data as it travels along its life cycle, from where it started to where it was reported? And has it maintained that integrity all along? Because bringing this back to our main topic of fraud, there are many pressures and incentives that might have someone misstate or omit information in their ESG reporting. Doug:              I'd like to pick up on a topic that Catie discussed on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. It does, inherently, involve a complex web of data from different sources, including suppliers. And companies may be asked to produce or report the greenhouse gas emissions for themselves, as a company, on Scope 1 and Scope 2. I hope our listeners know what that means. Or on a part of Scope 3, or their carbon emissions as a company, or their carbon emissions in a particular country or state, or their carbon emissions for the products they manufacture for a certain customer.  So those are different ways to slice and dice much of the same data. And it all goes back, I'll put in a plug here for the COSO report mapping the internal control framework to ESG. That can be applied to anything, any topic, any company, including, for example, greenhouse gas emissions. In terms of fraud, there can be a difference between just sloppy, or just unavailability of data and willful reporting of incorrect or misleading data.  For example, to get preferred treatment at a customer, or to get preferred inclusion in an ESG index fund, or to get a reduction on interest rate from a line of credit, from a financial institution that's looking for green investments. So we're still seeing an increase in awareness of the fact where, "Well, we can just report this because nobody cares." Or, "Well, it's not regulatory, so we'll just let it go." And willful deceit in order to get a benefit at the expense of other competitors in these areas, which goes into the fraud bucket. That ACFE and Grant Thornton touched upon in that report. Dan:                Yes, thank you, Doug. The report that Doug is referring to is a joint publication of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and Grant Thornton called Managing Fraud Risks in an Evolving ESG Environment. You can get it from our website and from the ACFE, and within that, we did develop an ESG fraud taxonomy.  It encompasses both some of the traditional areas of fraud that have always been there. Corruption, asset misappropriation, and financial statement fraud. And there are certainly ways in which ESG fraud manifests itself under each of those headings.  To that traditional fraud tree we have added an additional area of non-financial reporting fraud, which Doug was alluding to. And the things that might happen under there, there could be false labeling or advertising. Think of things like declarations of saying that it's "Dolphin-free tuna" that has certainly been an area of litigation in the past. I'm thinking about false disclosures or representations, and that might be along the B2B relationships. Where you are omitting information or misstating information to a company that you are a supplier to. Lots of ways that things can be contorted, and misrepresented, and misstated, omitted, and if it is done intentionally, then we're going to consider it fraud. Doug:              Dan, I can't say enough good things about the report that came out and, certainly, my hat is off to you, and Catie, and everybody who contributed to that. I know that was a massive effort. What I think is so elegant about that report is that many of our listeners struggle with how to get their arms around ESG, this sprawling issue is so new, it's so different.  The report begins with a construct that's familiar to everybody who deals with fraud, that famous ACFE fraud tree. And the report adds a leaf, if you will, if you look at that tree at the bottom row, that provides an ESG example for the fraud tree as everybody knows it. And then it was very elegant how you added that branch, if you will, for the ESG, the non-financial reporting with nine different twigs to describe a taxonomy there, and then the leaves with the examples, it was really well done.  So anybody familiar with fraud and the fraud tree. Anybody who has been involved in developing procedures to prevent fraud or to detect fraud on the audit side, you can just use that reference document and get pretty close to how you think about ESG fraud to prevent it and detect it.  Another thing I would observe that the human rights, no product was made with child labor. Non-financial reporting and compliance exists in a lot of places out there, and it can be possible, it can be easy for stakeholders to compare information that arises from different reporting channels for consistency. For example, Dan mentioned one of the claims could be, "None of our products use forced labor".  In the U.S. there's a law called the The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. That has the rebuttable presumption that products made from a certain area, in China, if you cannot prove that those products were made absent forced labor, the assumption is that they were made with forced labor. And the Customs and Border Protection is seizing products at the docks before they come into the country, and waiting on companies to provide evidence that the products are forced-labor-free.  So if you have claims on your website, or on products, or in contract documents that they're forced labor free, and the Customs and Border Protection is reporting that your goods are being held and not allowed into the country. There is an inconsistency there that can be embarrassing, at a minimum, to companies. And it can cost the company sales, customers, and reputational damage if it turns out that those claims cannot be supported. Dan:                Yes, so just picking up on what Doug was talking with The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, this is a big stick for the government in they have a presumption of guilt, so to say. That if they suspect that a good has any raw material or input within it because it is in whole or in part of your good that's being imported, is suspected of having forced labor in it, and that means every tier of your supply chain down to the raw material or seed, if it's an agricultural product. If there is a suspicion that it is tainted by forced labor, it will not be allowed into the country unless you can prove otherwise. And, I think, it's going to become, increasingly, challenging for companies to know their supply chain inside and out. And from a fraud perspective, whether any part of that supply chain is deceiving the rest of the supply chain on whether or not it's tainted by forced labor.  I was just reading over the holidays, there is a tremendous report that came out from Sheffield Hallam University, in the UK, around the various risks in the auto industry for being tainted by forced labor in the production of raw materials. it's really a very difficult area, and it is something that our clients are coming to us, asking for help around.  Dan:                Catie, do you have some other thoughts around the regulatory environment in which this is probably just one small piece? Catie:              Yes, Dan and Doug, you both brought up a great point of there are current existing regulations that apply to certain areas of ESG. But what we're seeing is a global movement towards more overarching regulations across different jurisdictions. So, for instance, last year, the European Union approved the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive Regulation, also called CSRD, and that sets reporting standards for entities that meet certain EU reporting thresholds.  In the UK, there IS BEIS, which is focused on climate-related disclosures for entities that operate in the UK. And then, of course, for our U.S. listeners, I'm sure you all have heard about the coming SEC final rule when it comes to climate disclosures. We anticipate that being finalized as early as April of this year. But all that to say that the regulatory environment, itself, from an ESG perspective, there is a growing recognition that there needs to be standards that companies adhere to. So that there is comparability across the landscape when it comes to ESG data. Because it is hard for whoever is looking at this data to discern what certain data points may mean because they may be defined differently.  So these standards are helping to create an environment that is more accountable and more comparable which, hopefully, will help clarify some things and clarify the way that you go about reporting. That said, even though some of those regulations are very early stage or haven't been released, yet, there are already consequences for misreporting.  So we saw last year, or in the past couple of years, that Goldman Sachs was fined $4 million and BNY Mellon was fined $1.5 million for what were considering material misstatements. And in the future, we see that more frequent consequences could be around the corner. But I can't speak to what that looks like just, yet. Dan, do you have any experience, or Doug, in terms of any additional consequences that you're seeing for misreporting of ESG data? Dan:                Yes, well, for me, as you said, there are consequences from misstating, publicly, the information. There are just a ton of business consequences of misstating the information. So, for example, I myself was involved in an investigation in which there was a licensor of images for the front of T-shirts and the like. There was a requirement that none of the production would take place in Bangladesh after the tragedy in 2013, in which a building collapsed, killing more than 1000 apparel workers.  And, so, there was a requirement that no production take place in Bangladesh, and there was wide-scale deception on that point. Such that there was a lot of production going on in Bangladesh, but it was being misreported to the licensor as being produced in India or in other jurisdictions throughout Asia. That finding, in the investigation that we carried out, was the subject of whether or not a billion-dollar license would go forward or not. Doug:              I can see several potential risks or consequences for misreporting or misleading content and reporting, and they vary according to the reporting channel. For example, there is ESG content in financial statements, in income statements and balance sheets. There are reserve estimates for contingent environmental liabilities.  Something that's a little newer is asset values for Emission Reduction Credits or expected costs in the future for Emission Reduction Credits, if that's part of a company's strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Those have a vintage and the value depends on the vintage. If those are, knowingly, misstated, you're subject to all the things that come with that in financial reporting, disclosure controls, and procedures, and the like. For misrepresentation and misreporting in the Form 10-K, the analysts and the investors are using this to make investment decisions. There are shareholders who are quite happy to file proxy filings or to file suit by claiming to be misled for the content in there. Some of those are starting to see the light of day or to get quietly settled. There was an instance of a major European bank, an employee blowing a whistle, publicly, saying that their screening process for companies to include in an ESG index fund was just not very good or, maybe, a sham.  So there's the reputational damage that can be a hit to a company and the market cap for many companies, the reputation, the intangible value, exceeds the value of PP and E - Plant Property and Equipment. So intangible value and brand value is something to watch out for too and that can take a hit, with misrepresentation or loss of reputation in ESG and non-financial matters. Catie:              And, Doug, just to piggyback on that point, there's the financial disclosure side of that, but there's also, as we talked about, the intangible side of that. So customers are increasingly wanting to purchase sustainably made goods, and engage with companies that align with their own personal moral values and beliefs.  And, so, when they learn that whether it's a good that's claiming to be sustainably made is actually unsustainable, you could lose members of your customer base. At times it inspires boycotts and protests and, especially, in the age of digital media, just imagine someone telling their community about their experience, and that going on Twitter, or TikTok, or something of that nature.  Those are some of the risks that we're seeing from not a regulatory penalty approach. But also there are consequences when it comes to your customer base, the value of your brand, and your brand reputation. Doug:              We've discussed a lot of different data, a lot of different stakeholders, a lot of different needs. So how do companies manage this kind of reporting. When everybody wants something different. There are different ways to slice and dice. How does a company get their arms around this and make sure that it's right? Catie:              Yes, that's a great question, Doug. So as I said before, there are a lot of different frameworks out there. But they are working to consolidate the frameworks and to consolidate the data expectations of those frameworks.  From what I'm seeing, it appears that SASB, GRI, and TCFD, all of which I previously mentioned, are emerging as the big three of ESG data disclosure frameworks. And it's important that our listeners understand that while these frameworks are not required for disclosure, they can help guide your reporting. And, ultimately, they can help your company be more aware of any potential fraud risks and avoid being susceptible to associated fraud with those activities and reporting.  Of course, the frameworks, themselves, are not mandatory for disclosure. They are, as I said, guidelines and we talked, previously, about the different regulations that are emerging. I think the thing that's important to know here is that some of these frameworks are being utilized to inform those regulations. So we know that the SEC climate disclosure draws heavily from TCFD reporting framework.  And, so, some of our clients are asking us to conduct TCFD reporting gap analysis to help them prepare for those upcoming SEC-required disclosures. We have clients who are asking us to do assurance readiness services because they know that they will fall in that year one reporting group, the large accelerated filers for the SEC.  And, so, having us test their existing processes, internal controls, things of that nature, and validate that their data is complete and accurate is something that they're doing to prepare for the upcoming regulatory framework. So the way to think about those frameworks is that it's a helpful way for you to organize your disclosures in anticipation of future reporting requirements.  Dan, do you have any thoughts from the fraud risk perspective of how those frameworks can usually help you. In terms of guarding against any potential misreporting or intentional or unintentional? Dan:                Yes, so when I think about this, I usually do go back to the ACFE's Fraud Triangle, thinking about incentives and pressures, the opportunities for fraud, and the rationalizations one might apply to committing those frauds. So when I think about reporting what is the role of that report?  Is it going to a regulator?  Is it going into a corporate social responsibility or a marketing publication? All of those bear different kinds of risks. So in terms of on this reporting topic, that people and companies should be thinking about taking an inventory of all the ways in which that ESG information is going out to the public, across those different channels. And ensuring that as they're building up their capabilities and infrastructure to maintain good data quality, that it is also ensuring consistency across all of those reporting channels.  What I anticipate, and I think we're starting to see it, is that there will be cases where the same information is reported in one channel, but is inconsistent with how it was reported in another channel, and that will be held against the company. You should not be finding yourself saying one thing to the government and something else in a publication. Doug:              Dan, I absolutely agree with that. I would say to this question, it comes back to a familiar trilogy that we hear as the answer to so many questions, and that is people, process, and technology. And I'll start at the end and work my way back, there are many vendors offering technology fixes and even companies, in-house, building technology fixes to gather and report data.  But the data and the information is only as good as the process it took to come up with the data. You can automate the wrong process and just get the wrong answer faster. So you back up to the process and say, "Well, since this non-financial information originates in so many parts of the company, and even from other companies, suppliers, customers, business partners, and the like. What is the process to get them?" There are also challenges I see on reporting periods. Governments, like EPA, may have an annual reporting process. There are companies with a non-calendar fiscal year, who need to report some of this on a fiscal year basis. So where are the reporting periods? What is the process to collect information and report to a state agency, to a stakeholder, to a customer? So those processes need to be nailed down, and that's where that wonderful COSO internal controls framework comes in. Just follow that and apply it as it's appropriate. And because that data and information comes from so many different sources, I encourage people to have the right people involved.  If companies establish a cross-functional team and get folks from all the places who provide this information. Real estate, operations, safety, procurement, R&D if they understand their roles and responsibilities in collecting this information to enable the kind of reporting that Catie has mentioned and others, then that goes a long way to making the process more effective and more efficient. Dan:                Yes, and I would like to add on to what Doug was saying. That in terms of the fact that this information is coming from different parts of organizations, that haven't necessarily undergone third-party assurance procedures. That this is a transition period here where, I think, a broader spectrum of people, within an organization, are going to be changing their mindset around the accuracy and completeness of the data because they know that they are subject to that third-party assurance. Catie:              And, Doug, you had mentioned, I think, very rightly, that having the right team in place is critical to being able to have the right processes and technology also in place, to ensure that your reporting is complete and accurate. And we're seeing on the client side that a lot of our clients don't, necessarily, have the resources in place to start to organize that.  So I wanted to ask, in your opinion, and Dan, feel free to jump in. How important is it to not just assign one person to do all of your ESG reporting? But how important is it to have that cross-functional team approach to these non-financial disclosures? Doug:              I think it is absolutely essential. One structure that I see work a lot is to have a steering committee. To set strategy and to be plugged into those reporting frameworks that you've mentioned, Catie, and some of the customer demands and organizational strategy and where things are going. And a more tactical working group that's closer to operations, and the systems, and controls to really modify those systems and controls and talk to each other.  A couple of things I've seen work really well. I've seen those committees be assembled, and people show up, and they don't know why they're in the room. And it really helps to have a coach or an external resource to help facilitate all that. To make sure that people are talking the right language and not talking past each other. So you get everybody on the same page to take actions in ways that are aligned with the company objectives, that helps a lot.  A couple of functions that I don't see on those teams but, I think, should be there a lot more than they are IT, for sure. And many of our listeners are from accounting, I would say accounting. I don't see on those cross-functional teams as much as I think they should be. Much of what is required for the sustainability reporting, it comes from accounting. You get utility bills from accounting. Get a list of assets from accounting. Get a list of our ten largest customers from accounting. Accounting has the master key to a lot of this information. But the information that's in company systems, in my experience, was not designed for the way the information needs to be reclaimed and used now. So there are some changes that need to be made in accounting to enable this reporting and to enable the systems and controls. To, then, ensure accurate reporting, verifiable reporting, and the fact that we tighten down the controls so that we can prevent the possibility of fraud. Dan:                Yes, great points, Doug. I really appreciate you bringing up the steering committee. Someone at the top of an organization that is there to set strategy. And I think that it is common, and it will become more commonplace, to have that steering committee require that any fraud risk assessments, that are being done within an organization, include ESG fraud as part of what they're doing.  And in conducting a fraud risk assessment that is a stress test, that's looking for ways in which various kinds of scenarios. Such as the scenarios we brought up in our report with the ACFE, of ways in which ESG fraud could be committed. And then looking at whether the controls in place within the organization, are sufficient to prevent and detect or detect those occurrences.  So, Doug, I know that you've been contributing to an exciting report, that's been recently released from the IMA. Could you give us a few highlights in that regard? Doug:              Sure, I'd be happy to. I was one of the primary authors of this document, the only non-CPA on the team. I provided the ESG specialist input for this very important report. It's a COSO report and IMA is, of course, a member of COSO and their leadership had a terrific role in pulling this together. And it will resemble a lot kind of the report you've had major involvement with from the ACFE, on fraud, ESG fraud. In that it begins with a framework that everybody knows and is very familiar with, the COSO Internal Controls Framework, and there's something old and something new.  There is a summary of some of the key points of the COSO Internal Controls Framework, the components, and the points of focus. And on each of the components there's some information demonstrating how the internal controls framework can be applied to ESG.  So that in terms of non-financial management of information, and of reporting, and of communications, and of control environment. It can be applied and it points you in the right direction on how it can be adopted to improve the effectiveness, and the efficiency of company organization, management, and reporting. I encourage everyone to read it and use it. [00:36:50]       < Outro > Announcer:    This has been Count Me In, IMA's podcast. Providing you with the latest perspectives of thought leaders from the accounting and finance profession. If you like what you heard and you'd like to be counted in for more relevant accounting and finance education, visit IMA's website at www.imanet.org.

Today's guest is one of the best qualified senior insurance and reinsurance executives I have ever had on the show. That's because in a forty-plus year career David Cabral has been in both claims and underwriting, crossed the divide between Life and Health and P&C and worked at brokers, both in good times and in very bad times. He's also been in charge of a company in run-off and he has overseen debt and equity capital raisings on the private and public markets. He's built and run operations, done M&A and has worked at the biggest incumbents as well as the smallest start-ups. His resumé includes amongst many other names: Starr Excess, Marsh, Endurance, Frank B Hall, Lloyd's and latterly sustainable finance-focused start-up Parhelion Capital. He's also been a longstanding advocate of business and cultural change and the adoption and application of the best technology in our sector. I don't know anyone with a more 360-degree understanding of our business than David. That long preamble is important because it means that what he has to say about the fundamental issue of ESG should carry an enormous amount of weight. This is someone with the right combination of intellectual heft and real-world experience to see exactly where we are going wrong as an industry on the biggest challenge our sector has ever faced. To his brains and experience I should also add a fearlessness in telling things exactly as he sees them. If ESG represents the greatest re-set of risk since the industrial revolution, here is someone who has thought things right though to their logical conclusions and wants to help build an insurance sector that is fit for purpose in a world of ever more dynamic risk and exponentially-growing real-time data. David is an outspoken communicator and a great advocate for our sector and the transformative power it wields across the global economy and wider society. I have rarely interviewed someone able to express themselves so freely and this is what I think makes this Episode something a little special NOTES Abbreviations. ESG stands for Environmental Social and Governance IoT is Internet of Things. A Julian is referred to. That is Julian Richardson, CEO of Parhelion Underwriting. LINKS We thank our Special Episode sponsor Stephens Rickard: https://www.stephensrickard.com/ David Cabral: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-v-cabral/

ESG investment considerations for the last ten years have had a growing influence on the asset management industry. But of late, they have generated controversy and some states have even enacted anti ESG legislation. What is at play in this debate that impacts every investor and publicly traded company, why is it important and how will your investments and 401K be impacted ? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/james-herlihy/message

To introduce our Global Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2022, Stephen O'Shea, Head of Investor Relations and Consultant Engagement, speaks with Sophie Durham, Head of ESG, Europe, on why the report is important to us, what is new in the report this year, and highlights on how we apply our 5 Minimum Standards on ESG to our portfolio companies and the positive real world impacts they can make.To find out more on the report and to request a copy please follow the link https://www.igneoip.com/our-commitment **********************Important informationThis material is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute investment or financial advice and does not take into account any specific investment objectives, financial situation or needs. This is not an offer to provide asset management services, is not a recommendation or an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any security or to execute any agreement for portfolio management or investment advisory services and this material has not been prepared in connection with any such offer. Before making any investment decision you should consider, with the assistance of a financial advisor, your individual investment needs, objectives and financial situation.We have taken reasonable care to ensure that this material is accurate, current, and complete and fit for its intended purpose and audience as at the date of publication. No assurance is given or liability accepted regarding the accuracy, validity or completeness of this material and we do not undertake to update it in future if circumstances change.To the extent this material contains any expression of opinion or forward-looking statements, such opinions and statements are based on assumptions, matters and sources believed to be true and reliable at the time of publication only. This material reflects the views of the individual writers only. Those views may change, may not prove to be valid and may not reflect the views of everyone at Igneo Infrastructure Partners or First Sentier Investors.About First Sentier InvestorsReferences to ‘we', ‘us' or ‘our' are references to Igneo Infrastructure Partners or First Sentier Investors (as applicable). First Sentier Investors is a global asset management business which is ultimately owned by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. Igneo Infrastructure Partners is an unlisted infrastructure asset management business and is part of the First Sentier Investors Group.We communicate and conduct business through different legal entities in different locations. This material is communicated in:[1]Australia and New Zealand by First Sentier Investors (Australia) RE Ltd, authorised and regulated in Australia by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (AFSL 240550; ABN 13 006 464 428) European Economic Area by First Sentier Investors (Ireland) Limited, authorised and regulated in Ireland by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI reg no. C182306; reg office 70 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland; reg company no. 629188)Hong Kong by First Sentier Investors (Hong Kong) Limited and has not been reviewed by the Securities & Futures Commission in Hong Kong. First Sentier Investors and Igneo Infrastructure Partners are business names of First Sentier Investors (Hong Kong) Limited. Singapore by First Sentier Investors (Singapore) (reg company no. 196900420D) and this advertisement or material has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. First Sentier Investors (registration number 53236800B) and Igneo Infrastructure Partners (registration number 53447928J) are business divisions of First Sentier Investors (Singapore).Japan by First Sentier Investors (Japan) Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Service Agency (Director of Kanto Local Finance Bureau (Registered Financial Institutions) No.2611)United Kingdom by First Sentier Investors International IM Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (reg. no. SC079063, reg office 23 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH2 1BB)United States by First Sentier Investors (US) LLC, authorised and regulated by the Securities Exchange Commission (RIA 801-93167)other jurisdictions, where this document may lawfully be issued, by First Sentier Investors International IM Limited, authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA ref no. 122512; Registered office: 23 St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH2 1BB; Company no. SC079063).To the extent permitted by law, MUFG and its subsidiaries are not liable for any loss or damage as a result of reliance on any statement or information contained in this document. Neither MUFG nor any of its subsidiaries guarantee the performance of any investment products referred to in this document or the repayment of capital. Any investments referred to are not deposits or other liabilities of MUFG or its subsidiaries, and are subject to investment risk, including loss of income and capital invested.©    Igneo Infrastructure Partners

Lecture summary: Just over a year ago, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sought public comments on a bold and thoughtfully framed rule proposal for the enhancement and standardization of climate-related disclosure. It was a move that signaled to many that the US was finally responding to the global shift amongst investors and asset managers toward the integration of ESG data into fundamental value analysis. Today, however, as ESG issues in the US have become politically polarized and as litigation challenges loom large, the possibility of meaningful change appears more remote. Now is therefore an ideal time to spotlight the new ESG disclosure requirements in the UK and EU and, against this backdrop, to refute the claim that ESG disclosure involves “major questions” that transcend the SEC’s longstanding and clear authority to impose new reporting requirements on publicly traded companies. The UK and EU experiences likewise provide valuable perspectives in connection with other hot-button issues in the US, including: closing the public-private disclosure gap, broadening the traditional concept of materiality, and imposing mandates that require real-time disclosure as opposed to disclosure primarily at periodic intervals. Donna M. Nagy is the C. Ben Dutton Professor of Law at Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana, USA. She teaches and writes in the areas of securities litigation, securities regulation, and corporations, and has served for eight years as the law school’s Executive Associate Dean. Her scholarship includes two co-authored books, one on the law of insider trading and a casebook on Securities Litigation, Enforcement, and Compliance. She has published extensively in distinguished law journals on matters including insider trading and fiduciary principles; securities disclosure and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information; government officials and financial conflicts of interest; and securities enforcement remedies. She is also a frequent speaker on securities regulation and litigation topics at law schools and professional conferences. Professor Nagy is a member of the American Law Institute and served as a member of the National Adjudicatory Council of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and as an appointed member to the ABA Corporate Laws Committee. She began her teaching career in 1994, and prior to that, was an associate with Debevoise & Plimpton in Washington, D.C. She earned her law degree in 1989 from New York University School of Law and her BA in Political Science in 1986 from Vassar College.

REITs are making gains across the board in adopting practices that enable investors to make informed decisions taking into account environmental and social strategy and performance, says Jessica Long, Nareit senior vice president for environmental stewardship and sustainability.Speaking on the REIT Report, Long noted that Nareit's latest REIT ESG Dashboard shows that 100% of the top 100 REITs are reporting publicly on ESG in some manner. “REITs really are demonstrating that as an industry, real estate is taking seriously the requests from investors and regulators and other key stakeholders that are saying that ‘these environmental and social issues are important to us and we want to understand how you're managing those things.'”One data point in the latest dashboard shows that 89% of REITs are reporting on their climate risk policy. Long noted that these percentages show that REITs “are out ahead on this….and putting in place policies and procedures and looking at the metrics to help better manage this risk and understand what's happening within a REIT's real estate portfolios.”

Biden under Executive Order, has implemented Environmental Social Credit Scores and has Scientists & Technology policy makers licking their chops to come after Americans that are out of line with their agenda in this episode of Radical. The Great Create When the US Siezed All the Gold Biden Signs EO Support with Bitcoin or Dirty fiat http://cash.app/$ShaneHazel Listen Learn & Earn Bitcoin on Fountain  Follow Shane - @ShaneTHazel Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify Radical Home Page

2023 marks the first time greenhouse omissions will decline while energy consumption, production, and populations are increasing. New, environmentally sensitive production systems (solar, wind, etc.) are biting into the fossil fuel history. These are just the tip of the iceberg for environmental and sustainable investing opportunities that could help turn back the tide of damage to the planet. Even more importantly, looking after the planet and learning how to govern for a positive future for all mankind should sit at the center of how we build new from our existing corporations to the future corporations.Today's podcast is with an expert who will guide us through what that conversation we should all be having as leaders in major enterprises as we learn to re-balance. Keesa C. Schreane is the author of Gambling on Green: Uncovering the Balance among Revenues, Reputations, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) (Wiley, September 2022) and Corporations Compassion Culture: Leading Your Business toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Wiley, 2021). She works for Refinitiv, an American-British global financial market data and infrastructure provider. The company was founded in 2018. It is a London Stock Exchange Group subsidiary after a US$27 billion-dollar sale from previous owners Blackstone Group LP.The core of the ESG debate is not just centered on the idea of sustainability but around a complex interaction of variables changing how we work as a society. If we handle them correctly, those triggers could drive a deeper and more pronounced commitment to the principles of ESG.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of our favorite topics we keep coming back to is Environmental, Social, and Governance, or  (ESG). It's come up as a critical topic for many companies over the last few years since investors are demanding more from the firms they do business with. There's a lot of data that shows consumers care, too—and so do regulators.To learn more and hear a different perspective on the importance of ESG, I wanted to turn to Tim Clover. He's the CEO and Founder of Australia-based Glow, an online research platform, often compared to SurveyMonkey on steroids. For Tim, it is about a lot more than just creating surveys. It is about the whole workflow for research. We talk to Tim about ESG, its impact on consumer perceptions and brand loyalty, greenwashing and the relatively new term of greenhushing, differing consumer expectations from one market to another, and how ESG has the potential to change how we do business in the longterm. I really enjoyed this conversation and I think you will too, so let's jump right in. As always, we welcome your feedback. Please make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play - and make sure to follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn!

By Adam Turteltaub ESG, cyber risk and privacy are all hot topics in compliance, but that doesn't mean people typically identify the data issues as ESG topics.  Lisa Beth Lentini Walker (LinkedIn), CEO & Founder of Lumen Worldwide Endeavors  and Assistant General Counsel at Marqueta, thinks that's a mistake. Cyber and privacy, she believes, fall very much under the Social in Environmental Social and Governance. Just look at the many ethical issues surrounding data usage these days as proof. She explains in this podcast and in the chapter “ESG, Cyber and Privacy: Bridging the Divide” in the 2023 Complete Compliance & Ethics Manual, that privacy and security are not separate and apart from ESG. They are central to how the organization navigates the world and people around it. Keeping data secure is squarely under the social mission of the enterprise. To live up to that obligation, organizations have to focus more on keeping data safe and building proper systems around how individuals interact with the data. Simply believing “well, we have a good practice” is not enough. The practices have to support the ESG framework in terms of meeting the company's commitments. In addition, the temptation to be data hoarders has to be tempered. Collecting data is easy to do, and it's generally inexpensive to store. That makes it easy to rationalize indefinite retention. But, a clear path to data destruction is essential. Think of it like cleaning out the closet. It may not be easy, but it needs to get done. Organizations also need to embrace greater transparency about the processes in place to safeguard and use data. That helps investors and rating agencies better assess how the entity is measuring up against the SASB and other standards. Listen in to learn more, and then check out the 2023 Complete Compliance & Ethics Manual.

Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick! On today's episode, we talk with Matthew Sekol, World Wide Sustainability Industry Advocate with Microsoft about All Things Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).   Read his full bio below.Help us continue to create great content! If you'd like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visit www.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form Showtimes: 3:41. Nic & Laura discuss ChatGPT11:04. Interview with Matthew Sekol starts11:50.  Environmental17:17.  Social33:26.  GovernancePlease be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review. This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.Connect with Matthew Sekol at https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewsekol/Guest Bio:Matt came into sustainability from the perspective of ESG in Financial Services and quickly developed a reputation at Microsoft for being ‘the guy who sees ESG everywhere.' He guides companies across a range of industries through sustainable transformation by delivering thought leadership and innovative ideas that challenge the status quo. With a 20-year career supporting technology initiatives across financial services, energy, healthcare and life sciences, and semiconductor organizations, Matt now helps global companies understand complex sustainability and ESG concepts while aligning to market expectations.Music CreditsIntro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace MesaOutro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs MullerSupport the showThanks for listening! A new episode drops every Friday. Like, share, subscribe, and/or sponsor to help support the continuation of the show. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and all your favorite podcast players.

We'll look at how ESG investments have become the latest conservative target in the culture wars.

By Adam Turteltaub As environmental expectations keeps rising and Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) metrics gain more importance to investors, some organizations will be tempted to greenwash, which is best described as making an environmental footprint look far better than it actually is. That's a serious risk and one that will be addressed by Elena Durante, ESG Risk Audit Manager, ING Corporate Audit Services, Risk & Finance, at the SCCE European Compliance & Ethics Institute, which takes place in Amsterdam March 20-22. As she explains in this podcast, at its roots greenwashing is about misleading information supplied to investors and customers, taking advantage of the fact that these outsiders cannot fully tell if what the organization is saying is true. While greenwashing is still relatively unregulated, she tells us, that has started to change.  In the EU there have been an increasing number of efforts to combat it. Plus, there is severe reputational damage to companies caught greenwashing. Compliance teams need to be on the lookout at their organizations to ensure the integrity of their organizations' environmental statements. That starts with ensuring that what regulations that currently exist are followed. It also means keeping an eye out for new regulations. Compliance should also be working to develop and implement ESG protocols within the organization. These should identify clear rules and policies to ensure sufficient checks and balances are in place. A training element will also be needed to help the business people understand that environmental statements need to accurately reflect the  organization's actual activities, not just its aspirations. Listen in and then keep an eye out for greenwashing in your organization.

By Adam Turteltaub ESG, or Environmental Social and Governance efforts, may not be a mandate quite yet for healthcare providers, but already there are heavy demands for ESG-related information from regulators, the public and bondholders. As organizations pull together the data they need to report, says Rebekuh Eley and Rick Kes of RSM, it's important to make sure that you have a thoughtful process behind it so that the data is accurate, consistent and complete. The last thing an organization wants is to have faulty data. At the same time, many organizations only scratch the surface of what they can take credit for in terms of increasing health equity for the communities they serve or improving their environmental footprint. That information can be helpful in meeting federal tax compliance requirements. While some may see ESG as something new and different, they note that community health is squarely under the S (Social) aspect of ESG. Keeping a good score on your ESG efforts can help demonstrate that your organization is meeting its obligations to the community and 501(r) requirements. It can also earn you credit for your environmental and governance efforts, including the number of community members who are on your board. Listen in to learn more about ESG and its role in healthcare

Delivered by Susan Hamilton [https://rumble.com/c/OffBeatBusinessTV] and Larry Kortkamp [https://rumble.com/c/BizPointzTV]Links for these episode topics for your own research:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11653723/How-Al-Gore-300m-climate-alarmism-Former-VP-fortune-losing-George-W.htmlhttps://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrat-led-cities-already-moving-forward-gas-stove-bans-affect-millionshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-23/germany-still-years-away-from-replacing-russian-gas-capacityhttps://www.disclose.tv/id/1616108250470006786/https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/why-gen-z-hate-america-why-cant-give-up-themhttps://www.foxnews.com/world/chinese-communist-party-sweeps-nations-internet-bad-culture-including-vulgar-images-womenhttps://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/us-farm-group-calls-probe-high-egg-pricesBrought to you by:Wellness Institute 469-939-8933Big Feet Creations, 469-450-7350https://MoveFreelyAmerica.orghttps://www.TransformingGrace.tvhttps://HeroesInAction.us, 727-314-2534https://rumble.com/c/OBBMNetworkWeeklyNews(c) All Rights Reserved, OffBeat Business Media, LLCOBBM Network Podcasts offers over 30 podcast shows that support your life, your life in business, and information on local, state, and national education, politics, health, veteran, and first responder resources. Get them all at https://obbm.buzzsprout.com, where you can subscribe from your preferred platform.OBBM Network TV, including OBBM Network News, is also available on Roku:https://channelstore.roku.com/details/2d588bed3170f71fd5e7173e8732082d/obbm-network-tvOBBM Network programming is also available on Traverse TV Smart TV apps on Apple TV, Fire TV, and CBS Digital 55.11 serving 1.2M household subscribers, 70,000 hotel rooms throughout central Orlando, and reaches 6M viewers as far as South Carolina.Call 214-714-0495 for sponsor information today!Support the show

By Adam Turteltaub Perhaps the biggest non-Covid change in the corporate landscape over the last few years has been the growth of the Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) movement and its call to measure business on more than P&L statements. While some consider it a passing phase, Stuart Pardau, Associate Professor of Business Law, Professional Practice at Miami Herbert Business School at the University of Miami, thinks it is here to stay. As proof he points out that BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street, with a combined $20 trillion in assets, have stated their commitment to making investment decisions informed by ESG considerations. He also notes that the SEC has proposed new rules to standardize climate-related disclosures. On the corporate side, bonuses are increasingly tied to ESG metrics, and annual reports are featuring ever more language on the topic. Organizations are also more willing to take a stand on social issues. With this revolution, though, has come new risks, he notes. Greenwashing – making marginal or fraudulent environmental claims – has grown to be a serious issue with the potential for reputational damage. With this and other risks have come new challenges for compliance programs. Compliance teams need to help in the assessment of which ESG risks are greatest for their organization. In addition, they must keep in mind that not all of these risks come from aspiring to be a better organization. Some, whether around environmental, forced labor, or other issues, already have laws behind them. There is also an internal risk around corporate culture. If there is a gap between the professed values and the everyday actions, the chances of a public and embarrassing failure are great. Listen in to learn more about where ESG is going and the role of compliance along the way.

Standing in for Doug Stuart is LCI's founder, Dr. Norman Horn. With him today is professor David Rose from the University of Missouri. Dave Rose is a Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He has served as the Department Director of Graduate Studies and as the Department Chair. He received his Ph.D. in Economics in 1987 from the University of Virginia. His primary areas of research interest are behavioral economics, political economy, and organization theory. He has published scholarly articles in a wide range of areas. His work has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the HFL Foundation, the Earhart Foundation, and the John R. Templeton Foundation. He is currently in his second term on the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. In 2008 he received the St. Louis Business Journal's Economic Educator of the year award. You might have heard of ESGs (environmental social governance) from various climate change advocates. David Rose helps us understand what ESGs are and their relationship to stakeholder theory. Rose then contrasts the practice of ESGs (including their historical precedence) with business ethics illustrating for us some inherent problems. Rose explains the social benefits of maximizing profit, why this is a net good for society, and it proves to be a boon philanthropically. Another problem Rose highlights is in business ethics itself. Not only are few university students taking this course, but people who should not be in the position are the ones teaching the subject. (No surprise!) This episode is a great introduction to the topic of environmental social governance and why we should pay attention to these practices.   Main Points of Discussion: 00:00 Introduction 01:45 Environmental Social Governance - what is it? 04:43 History of "corporate responsibility" (stakeholder's theory) compared to ESG - how did we get here? 08:33 The evolution of business ethics and current problems 13:41 Is a business firm a moral agent? The personification problem; The evolutionary theory of firms 19:10 Why ESG proves to be a profound problem on the social effect of business firms 20:45 The effect of ESGs on pension funds 24:25 Why does the firm need to be philanthropic when people can do that on their own? (demonizing profit) 30:19 The "decades of greed" correlate with the most philanthropic time in American history; How can we understand that ESG will harm this? 35:17 There's no virtue in spending someone else's money 37:48 Profit is a signal you've served someone else well 39:27 Practical advice to build awareness for ESG and problems in society 41:48 Concluding thoughts   Resources Mentioned: Common Sense Society https://www.commonsensesociety.org Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com

Matt Ellis is the Founder and CEO of Measurabl and has spent several years in the world of commercial real estate. Before founding Measurabl, Matt spent five years with CBRE, the world's largest commercial real estate services company, where he began his career as a real estate broker and went on to lead CBRE's Sustainability Practice Group in the Western US, implement CBRE's industry-first global carbon neutrality program, and serve as Director of Sustainability Solutions.Under Matt's leadership Measurabl has become the world's most widely adopted environmental, social and governance (ESG) data management solution for commercial real estate. They help companies and investors measure, manage and disclose ESG performance, assess exposure to physical climate risk, and act on decarbonization and sustainable finance opportunities – on more than 11 billion square feet of commercial real estate across 80 countries.Connect with Matt Ellis: https://www.measurabl.com/LIKE • SHARE • JOIN • REVIEWWebsiteJoin the REI Mastermind Network on Locals!Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsYouTubeSpotifyStitcherDeezerFacebookTwitterInstagramSUPPORT THE SHOW!Self Managing Your Rental Properties? Get 6 months of RentRedi for $1! Click this link!Get Exclusive Content on Patreon! • https://www.patreon.com/reimastermindGet $10 and Reduce Your Business Costs by Shopping at AppSumo • https://bit.ly/reiappsumoGet $10 Towards Your First Purchase at Drop • https://drop.com/?referer=3DC729"You can invest 10,000 hours and become an expert or learn from those who have already made that investment." - Jack

https://www.linkedin.com/in/measurabl/ (Matt Ellis) is the Founder and CEO of https://www.measurabl.com/ (Measurabl) and has spent several years in the world of commercial real estate. Before founding Measurabl, Matt spent five years with CBRE, the world's largest commercial real estate services company, where he began his career as a real estate broker and went on to lead CBRE's Sustainability Practice Group in the Western US, implement CBRE's industry-first global carbon neutrality program, and serve as Director of Sustainability Solutions. Under Matt's leadership Measurabl has become the world's most widely adopted environmental, social and governance (ESG) data management solution for commercial real estate. They help companies and investors measure, manage and disclose ESG performance, assess exposure to physical climate risk, and act on decarbonization and sustainable finance opportunities – on more than 11 billion square feet of commercial real estate across 80 countries. Connect with Matt Ellis: https://www.measurabl.com/ (https://www.measurabl.com/) LIKE • SHARE • JOIN • REVIEW http://reimastermind.net/ (Website) https://reimastermindnetwork.locals.com/ (Join the REI Mastermind Network on Locals!) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rei-mastermind-network-real-estate-investing-strategies/id1227366661 (Apple Podcasts) https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3JlaXJvb2tpZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M (Google Podcasts) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_6OpKSfSGvgGDG1qtBQw9Q (YouTube) https://open.spotify.com/show/4P66jm0Q4PMl7OoZzHMUUZ (Spotify) https://www.stitcher.com/show/rei-rookies (Stitcher) https://www.deezer.com/us/show/2148782 (Deezer) https://www.facebook.com/REIMastermindNet (Facebook) https://twitter.com/rei_mastermind (Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/reimastermindnet/ (Instagram) SUPPORT THE SHOW! Self Managing Your Rental Properties? https://app.rentredi.com/signUp/JCH191 (Get 6 months of RentRedi for $1! Click this link!) https://www.patreon.com/reimastermind (Get Exclusive Content on Patreon! • https://www.patreon.com/reimastermind) https://bit.ly/reiappsumo (Get $10 and Reduce Your Business Costs by Shopping at AppSumo • https://bit.ly/reiappsumo) https://drop.com/?referer=3DC729 (Get $10 Towards Your First Purchase at Drop • https://drop.com/?referer=3DC729) "You can invest 10,000 hours and become an expert or learn from those who have already made that investment." - Jack

Is the Securities and Exchange Commission well positioned to tell investors and the world what qualifies as environmentally friendly? Jennifer Schulp comments. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Bad With Money! We have all new full episodes dropping every Wednesday! This first episode is an accessible 101 lesson in ESG funds featuring Building Bread's Kevin L. Matthews. If you've been interested in ethical investing, impact investing, or making sure your individual stocks and mutual funds meet ESG guidelines, this is a service episode to answer all your burning questions! We love to break down jargon! Plus, Kevin's beef with Wells Fargo -- revealed! Gaby Dunn Instagram: @GabyRoad BWM Instagram: @bwmpod BWM Facebook group: http://tinyurl.com/badwithmoneyfb The BWM Discord channel: https://discord.gg/dAdxj4JMER Find Gaby on Patreon: patreon.com/gabydunn Shop gabydunn.com/shop for merch! For a transcript of this episode, visit: https://bit.ly/3L1ZJHK Bad with Money is produced, edited, sound engineered and mixed by Lindsey Floyd. The Executive Producer is Lindsey Floyd. The theme song was performed by Sam Barbara and written by Myq Kaplan, Zach Sherwin, and Jack Dolgen. Additional music by Joey Salvia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices