CFOs and CIOs called upon to give views on ESG progress

October 15, 2021

International accounting standards group Accounting for Sustainability (A4S) is seeking input from corporate finance and investment chiefs on trends and views on the evolving ESG investment landscape.

Ahead of COP26, the A4S Finance Leaders' Sustainability Barometer will examine the views of company CFOs and CIOs in order to gauge how much they integrate sustainability into their decision-making processes today.

According to A4S, CFOs and CIOs play a vital role in directing sustainable finance and ensuring their companies are resilient against "nature, climate and societal crises".

The survey will seek to track position changes over time, identifying both trends and skills shortages. It is being conducted in partnership with Deloitte.

Increasingly, chief financial officers are being called upon to ensure ESG opportunities and risks are factored into business decisions, and that net zero pledges and similar environmental promises are accompanied by stringent and realistic action plans.

There are a number of different reporting standards aiming to help corporates and investors incorporate sustainability and ESG factors into their reporting and analysis. These include the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, the Global Reporting Initiative, the International Integrated Reporting Council, the Climate Disclosure Standards Board and the Carbon Disclosure Project, as well as the widely adopted guidelines from the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

A recent global institutional investor study by Schroders found that 59% of investors felt greenwashing was the biggest barrier to progress on sustainable investment.

Learn more about greenwashing in this Minerva Briefing:

A4S has three core aims: to inspire financial leaders to develop sustainable business models, to integrate ESG considerations into financial decisions, and to scale up the action across the global finance and accounting community.

The aim of the consultation will be to track progress made so far on sustainability goals and map emerging trends. The key findings of the survey will be announced at the A4S Summit, to be held 29 November - 2 December 2021.