Climate Confident Making Carbon Accounting Can Be as Trustworthy as Financial Reporting – SAP’s Green Ledger
In this special episode of Climate Confident, I sit down with Stephan Müller from SAP to explore a major development in sustainability and finance – the newly launched SAP Green Ledger. Stephan, a finance expert at SAP, explains how this tool applies the same rigorous accounting principles used in finance to carbon emissions, offering companies a new level of transparency and trust in their sustainability reporting.
We discuss why CFOs are increasingly being seen as "Chief Value Officers", balancing financial performance with sustainability outcomes. Stephan makes a strong case that trustworthy carbon data isn’t just about compliance with regulations like CSRD or ISSB – it’s also a competitive advantage. More accurate, auditable data can help identify carbon hotspots, guide investments, and ultimately reduce emissions more effectively.
Key takeaways include:
- Why sustainability reporting is landing on the CFO’s desk and how it's reshaping finance teams.
- How carbon budgets can be integrated into a company’s operations, alongside financial budgets, to target emissions reduction where it matters most.
- The role of solutions like SAP's Green Ledger in ensuring traceable and auditable carbon data – critical for avoiding accusations of greenwashing.
We also touch on the broader implications of accurate carbon accounting, from attracting investment to reducing recruitment costs, as employees increasingly seek out purpose-driven employers.
If you’re a finance leader, sustainability officer, or just curious about the future of carbon reporting, this episode will give you a clear sense of where it’s all headed.
For more on SAP’s Green Ledger, check out sap.com/greenledger. As always, you can find me on LinkedIn to share your thoughts – is carbon accounting the next b
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Credits
Music credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper