The Pre-Read
Workiva
Just like the slides you get before a big meeting, The Pre-Read gets CFOs and other decision-makers ready for what’s next. This is the global podcast built for the modern office of the CFO, where finance, sustainability, audit, and risk come together.
Designed for financial leaders navigating transformation at scale, the show features sharp, unfiltered conversations with insiders at the forefront of business, regulation, and enterprise strategy. Each week, hosts Alyssa Zucker and Steve Soter, along with our bench of expert segment reporters, connect the dots between financial performance, regulatory demands, and long-term value creation.
From new disclosure mandates to AI and assurance readiness, The Pre-Read helps you track the forces reshaping business. We cover what matters globally, cross-functionally, and with just enough candor to keep it real. If you’re making decisions at scale, or need to understand the leaders who are, you’re in the right place.
Designed for financial leaders navigating transformation at scale, the show features sharp, unfiltered conversations with insiders at the forefront of business, regulation, and enterprise strategy. Each week, hosts Alyssa Zucker and Steve Soter, along with our bench of expert segment reporters, connect the dots between financial performance, regulatory demands, and long-term value creation.
From new disclosure mandates to AI and assurance readiness, The Pre-Read helps you track the forces reshaping business. We cover what matters globally, cross-functionally, and with just enough candor to keep it real. If you’re making decisions at scale, or need to understand the leaders who are, you’re in the right place.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 28, 2023 • 26min
The ROI of Sustainability, Part II
Tensie Whelan, director of the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, and Kelly Fisher, head of corporate sustainability at HSBC Bank USA, discuss case studies on driving financial performance with sustainable investments. They emphasize the importance of measuring sustainability, implementing circularity in industries like apparel, and banks prioritizing sustainability. They also call for every person within a company to tackle climate change and social inequity.
Apr 21, 2023 • 9min
Trust and Assurance for ESG Reporting
Ernest Anunciacion, a certified internal auditor, discusses the critical role of GRC in ESG reporting and the importance of assurance, governance, and compliance. He highlights how companies can meet the SEC's climate disclosure ruling through independent assurance and applies lessons from financial reporting control environments to ESG programs.
Apr 12, 2023 • 9min
Reflections from Reuters’ Responsible Business
Host Mandi McReynolds shares insights from Reuters’ flagship event, Responsible Business USA 2023, where she moderated a panel on collecting audit-ready ESG data. Mandi shares key takeaways from her time in New York, including using technology to balance business and societal impact and aligning ESG and financial statements. Previous ESG Talk episodes on SEC regulation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4D4YjU7MUE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHcLVwXUL_4
Apr 7, 2023 • 27min
Applying an Economic Lens to ESG
Alex Edmans, finance professor at London Business School and leading expert on sustainable finance, joins Mandi McReynolds, vice president of ESG at Workiva. Alex and Mandi discuss sustainability and long-term value creation, including the importance and limitations of data and executive compensation.
Mar 24, 2023 • 24min
SEC Climate Disclosure: Predictions and Preparation
In this episode of ESG Talk, David Kanarek, vice president and managing counsel at American Express, joins Workiva’s Mark Mellen and Steve Soter to discuss the SEC’s climate disclosure proposal. Mark and Steve predict what will make it into the final ruling while David shares how his finance and sustainability teams are preparing for the new regulation.
Mar 22, 2023 • 19min
Finding Opportunity in Risk
Denise Vaughn, vice president of ESG at Ferguson Enterprises, and Christopher Lindsay, vice president of government relations for the International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials, join Workiva’s Mandi McReynolds. They explore the business and societal risks associated with water, how their organizations are coming together to address the water crisis in the United States, and the importance of pilots, process, and partnership for driving ESG strategy.
7 snips
Mar 17, 2023 • 19min
Purpose vs. Performance
Denise Roberson, chief purpose officer at TBWA\Chiat\Day, and Mandi McReynolds, head of global ESG at Workiva, discuss the value versus values debate in ESG and the importance of aligning values with purpose. They highlight the need for measuring what matters, aligning personal and business values, effective communication, prioritizing materiality, and focusing on value in ESG strategies.
Mar 8, 2023 • 19min
DEI’s Role in Human Capital Management
Alicia Petross, chief diversity officer at The Hershey Company, joins Workiva’s Steve Soter in the latest episode of ESG Talk. Alicia and Steve discuss the labor shortage, how ESG reporting has evolved, and the connection between DEI and HCM.
Mar 3, 2023 • 20min
Establishing a Common Language Around ESG
In this episode of ESG Talk, Workiva’s Mandi McReynolds is joined by Mark Horoszowski, co-founder and CEO of MovingWorlds. Mark and Mandi discuss how having a shared language around ESG will move business forward and finding common ground between business leaders, investors, and consumers.
Feb 21, 2023 • 4min
Reflections from GreenBiz 23
In this week's episode of ESG Talk, host Mandi McReynolds shares her top three takeaways from GreenBiz 23—including data driven decision making and automation for ESG reporting.
