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
Oct 19, 2022 • 20min
Social's Role in ESG: People, Purpose, and Profitability ft. Beth Wood, Principal Financial Group
This week, host Mandi McReynolds is joined by Beth Wood, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Principal Financial Group® and the chair of the Principal ESG Task Force. In recognition of National Women's Small Business Month, Beth shares how her experience running a small business prepared her to drive ESG strategy for a Fortune 500 company and describes the innovative Principal® Global Financial Inclusion Index. Resources: 1) Principal Financial Group ESG Strategy - https://www.principal.com/sustainability/esg-strategy 2) Global Financial Inclusion Index - https://www.principal.com/financial-inclusion 3) Edelman Trust Barometer - https://www.edelman.com/trust/2022-trust-barometer
Oct 12, 2022 • 6min
The Chat: ESG for SMEs, Startups, and Unicorns
We're chatting about how startups and small to midsize enterprises play a critical role in our global economy and how they can engage in ESG moving forward. Host Mandi McReynolds shares three fundamental principles for startups and SMEs to consider when implementing ESG into their business strategy. Resources: 1) World Economic Forum article - https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/what-start-ups-think-about-esg-and-why-it-matters/ 2) UN Global Compact participants - https://www.unglobalcompact.org/what-is-gc/participants 3) UN Global Compact resources - https://www.unglobalcompact.org/take-action/leadership 4) Kevin O'Leary on ESG: Straight Talk from Mr. Wonderful - https://www.workiva.com/blog/kevin-oleary-esg-straight-talk-mr-wonderful
Oct 5, 2022 • 13min
The Chat: Driving Purpose and Profit ft. George Serafeim
George Serafeim, Harvard Business School professor and author, discusses the humanistic element of ESG and practical tips for driving purpose and profit. Topics include the role of individuals in driving change, the increasing demand for stakeholder engagement, and businesses embracing a humanistic approach and integrating ESG.
Sep 21, 2022 • 24min
Defending, Critiquing, and Moving Forward in ESG ft. Shivaram Rajgopal, Columbia Business School
This is an illuminating conversation between Shivaram Rajgopal, Kester and Byrnes Professor at Columbia Business School, and host Mandi McReynolds. Listen as they discuss his pragmatic approach to ESG as illustrated in his three-part Forbes article series ESG – A Defense, A Critique, And A Way Forward: An Evidence-Driven Pragmatic Perspective. Resources: 1) ESG – A Defense, A Critique, And A Way Forward: An Evidence-Driven Pragmatic Perspective - https://www.forbes.com/sites/shivaramrajgopal/2022/08/21/esg--a-defense-a-critique-and-a-way-forward-an-evidence-driven-pragmatic-perspective/ 2) ESG – A Defense, A Critique (part 2), And A Way Forward: An Evidence-Driven Pragmatic Perspective - https://www.forbes.com/sites/shivaramrajgopal/2022/08/28/esg--a-defense-a-critique-part-2-now-and-a-way-forward-an-evidence-driven-pragmatic-perspective/ 3) ESG – A Defense, A Critique, And A Way Forward (part 3): Evidence-Driven Pragmatic Perspective - https://www.forbes.com/sites/shivaramrajgopal/2022/09/01/esg--a-defense-a-critique-and-a-way-forward-part-3-now-evidence-driven-pragmatic-perspective/ 4) Website - https://www.shivarajgopal.com/
Sep 14, 2022 • 7min
The Chat: Dealing with Acronyms - Moving from Deflection to Determination
The focus of our chat today is acronyms. Every business has acronyms. The ESG acronym soup can be overwhelming and confusing, but do not let that deflect from your determination to learn. We need a common understanding of key terms to help each other drive business value and society forward. Resources: 1) ESG Decoded Podcast - https://climeco.com/esg-decoded-podcast/ 2) Sustainability Decoded Podcast - https://link.chtbl.com/SustainabilityDecoded-McReynolds
Sep 7, 2022 • 13min
The Chat: Shaping the Global Climate Transition for All ft. Simon Mundy
Join our author chat with Simon Mundy, Moral Money editor at the Financial Times and author of Race for Tomorrow: Survival, Innovation and Profit on the Front Lines of the Climate Crisis. He and host Mandi McReynolds discuss takeaways from his journey in 26 countries covering the biggest story of the century and how we move forward as a global society to address climate transition. Resources: 1) Race for Tomorrow - https://www.simonmundy.com/book 2) Financial Times Moral Money - https://www.ft.com/moral-money 3) Simon Mundy YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/SimonMundy 4) Website - https://www.simonmundy.com/
Aug 31, 2022 • 29min
Understanding ESG Risks through Scenario Analysis ft. Jared Forman, FORVIS
Join the conversation with Jared Forman, Managing Partner, ESG & Climate Risk at FORVIS, as he and host Mandi McReynolds discuss managing risk, board engagement on ESG, and insights from Workiva's participation in the FORVIS risk scenario workshop. Resources: 1) FORVIS ESG & Climate Risk - https://www.forvis.com/services/esg-climate-risk 2) Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) - https://www.garp.org/ 3) ESG Today - https://www.esgtoday.com/
Aug 24, 2022 • 18min
Finding Your ESG Superpower ft. Si-Yeon Kim
Join the conversation with Si-Yeon Kim, former EVP, Chief Risk & Compliance Officer, and Executive Chair of ESG at American Express Global Business Travel (2014 to 2022), as she and host Mandi McReynolds discuss finding your ESG superpower and how businesses can work together in an ecosystem to tackle complex topics such as scope 3 emissions, travel, and other elements of your ESG strategy. Resources: 1) LinkedIn Poll on Sustainable Business Travel - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mandimcreynolds_esgtalk-esg-sustainability-activity-6961001859696259072-M2kt/ 2) Antea Group: Engaging Supply Chain on Scope 3 for Strategic Advantage - https://us.anteagroup.com/news-events/blog/engaging-supply-chain-on-scope-3-for-strategic-advantage 3) Antea Group:10 Ways Your Business Can Reduce Its Carbon Footprint - https://us.anteagroup.com/news-events/blog/10-ways-business-reduce-carbon-footprint
Aug 17, 2022 • 23min
Building ESG Talent ft. Lotti Hawkins, Farrell Associates
Join the conversation with Lotti Hawkins, Executive Search - Sustainable Investing, ESG & Impact for Private Markets at Farrell Associates, as she and host Mandi McReynolds discuss building ESG talent, focusing on ESG strategy and transferable skills, and the rise of ESG in the C-suite. Resources: 1) Farrell Associate's Talent Roots Project - https://www.farrellassociates.com/our-impact 2) LinkedIn Article: Please can we collectively stop saying there is an 'ESG Talent War'? - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/please-can-we-collectively-stop-saying-esg-talent-war-lotti-hawkins/ 3) ESG Meme - https://twitter.com/followalisont/status/1362994652396335118 4) PwC study on CSOs - https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/number-company-sustainability-officers-triples-2021-study-2022-05-04/
Aug 10, 2022 • 13min
The Chat: Transforming Risk into Sustainable Value ft. Andrea Bonime-Blanc
Join our first author chat with Andrea Bonime-Blanc, founder and CEO at GEC Risk Advisory and author of Gloom to Boom: How Leaders Transform Risk Into Resilience and Value. She and host Mandi McReynolds discuss the importance of technology in ESG, interconnected ESG risks and opportunities, and the value of empathy in leadership. Resources: 1) ESGT Megatrends Manual 2022-2023 Edition - https://issuu.com/medauras/docs/esgt_megatrends_report_2022-2023 2) Gloom to Boom: How Leaders Transform Risk Into Resilience and Value - https://gecrisk.com/gloom-to-boom/ 3) ESG Plus T: Tech as ESG Issue, Risk, and Value Influencer - https://www.diplomaticourier.com/posts/esg-plus-t-tech-as-esg-issue-risk-and-value-influencer 4) Harvard Business Review: The C-Suite Skills That Matter Most - https://hbr.org/2022/07/the-c-suite-skills-that-matter-most
