Agenda topics, timing and speakers subject to change.
Day 1: Tuesday, September 21
10:00 am – 11:00 am Eastern
ESG Fireside Chat: You, Me, and ESG - Uniting Sustainability and Finance
Find out how the offices of sustainability and finance can team up to guide ESG initiatives forward so it's a win-win for everybody. Join our webinar where we will discuss how a shared mission to deliver ESG data can create a competitive advantage in the marketplace-including tools and technology that can enhance your company's approach. Plus, we'll take a look at how taking on ESG ownership can transform skill sets and careers.
For this session you will be able to:
- Explain the roles of sustainability and finance teams as ESG reporting becomes an increasingly important part of financial reporting disclosures
- Describe how a shared vision between sustainability and finance teams can drive meaningful progress for both ESG and financial reporting
- Recognize the role of technology in assuring data quality that's relevant for both ESG and financial reporting
Moderator:
- Anand Bala | Director of Product Marketing | Workiva
Speakers:
- Mandi McReynolds | Senior Director of Environmental, Social, Governance | Workiva
- Steve Soter | Senior Director of Product Marketing and Accounting Industry Principal | Workiva
11:15 am – 11:30 am Eastern
Opening Remarks
Speaker:
- Andrej Suskavcevic, CAE | President and CEO | Financial Executives International / Financial Education & Research Foundation
11:30 am – 12:00 pm Eastern
ESG and the Finance Professional: Discussing the Next Phase of ESG
Hear from one of the early leaders in the development of ESG speak on what lies next for ESG and the impact it may have on financial reporting during this pivotal time .
Speaker:
- Robert Eccles | Founding Chairman | Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
Co-Founder | International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC)
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm Eastern
Investor Roundtable
Leading minds in sustainability investing discuss what disclosure of ESG metrics says about a company, the metrics that they are currently using and hope to use in the future, if there are any metrics they would like to see from every company, and how they use ESG information in their decision making. Attendees should emerge from this session with a deeper understanding on what ESG information is decision- useful for investors.
Moderator:
Speaker:
1:15 pm - 2:00 pm Eastern
Break
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Eastern
Standards and Frameworks
With all of the ESG frameworks out in the market, financial statement preparers have a lot to consider and learn as they utilize these frameworks in their reporting. In this session, representatives from these standard-setting bodies discuss how financial statement preparers should engage with ESG frameworks. Key takeaways from this session will include deeper understanding on how to engage with and utilize the frameworks as a resource, the role of materiality in non-financial metrics, and why it is value-add for Finance to be involved.
Moderator:
- Leslie Seidman | Chair of the Audit Committees | Moody's Corporation and General Electric Company
Speaker:
- Ravi Abeywardana | Technical Director | Climate Disclosures Standards Board (CDSB)
- Jeffrey Hales | Chair | Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
- Judy Kuszewski | Chair, Global Sustainability Standards Board | Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
3:15 pm - 4:15 pm Eastern
Getting Started with ESG
ESG reporting represents unique challenges and opportunities to the preparer community. However, the diversity of frameworks, diversity of practice, and diversity of stakeholders represent significant hurdles to providing relevant, high-quality information in a consistent and timely manner. In this session, panelists take a pragmatic approach as they discuss where finance leaders should begin as they navigate a rapidly evolving ESG ecosystem. Panelists will share insights on technology needs, talent needs, and roles and governance considerations.
Moderator:
Co-Vice Chair | Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)
Speakers:
Day 2: Thursday, September 23
11:15 am – 11:45 am Eastern
The Future of Accounting and ESG
IFRS Foundation Trustee, Michel Madelain, draws on his wealth of experience and insights to discuss the intersection of accounting and ESG, key insights on the evolution of ESG abroad, and offers key takeaways for finance professionals in the United States.
Speaker:
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Eastern
Climate Risk: Quantifying and Communicating
Bridging the gap between sustainability experts who have the technical acumen but lack the financial reporting background (with its rigor and control practices) has never been more important. In this session, Sustainability expert Emilie Mazzacurati, Global Head of Moody’s Climate Solutions, and Founder and CEO of Four Twenty Seven, leverages her experience and expertise in providing the insights finance leaders need to know as they work with sustainability experts to effectively quantify and communicate a company’s exposure to climate risk.
Speaker:
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm Eastern
Break
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm Eastern
Ratings Agencies
In recent years, rating agencies have increased their focus on ESG topics. Panelists will discuss how rating agencies use reported ESG information and provide advice for preparers who are tasked with assisting in the preparation of this information. Moreover, panelists will discuss what metrics they find to be relevant in rating a company, among other topics.
Moderator:
Speaker:
- Gregg Lemos-Stein | Head of Analytics and Research, Global Corporates | S&P Global Ratings
- Maura McGuigan | Director, Credit Rating Criteria | AM Best
- Swami Venkataraman, CFA | Senior Vice President, Manager - ESG Analytics and Integration Environmental, Social and Governance | Moody's Corporation
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Eastern
Controls around ESG in Financial Reporting
ESG information has largely been developed and operated outside of the financial reporting function, and as such, has not been subject to the full degree of rigor and controls required for financial information by registrants. Panelists will share insights on control implementation considerations. After this session attendees will have a better understanding of various approaches to implementing controls and identifying key areas of risk related to ESG data.
Moderator:
Speaker:
4:00 pm - 4:15 pm Eastern
Closing Remarks
Back to ESG Ecosystem: Macro Perspectives Conference