ESG Talk

Cognizant’s head of ESG, Aya Kiy-Morrocco, and Amelia Pan, managing director in the strategic advisory group of PJT Partners, join co-host Mandi McReynolds to discuss how sustainability leaders can partner with their C-suite and boards to advance ESG strategy and meet stakeholder demands for transparency, accountability, and action. Read the 2023 Workiva's Global Practitioner Survey: https://www.workiva.com/resources/2023-global-esg-practitioner-survey

Mandi McReynolds, Steve Soter, Andie Wood, and Ernest Anunciacion are back to kick off the third season of ESG Talk. The group revisits thought-provoking conversations from season two — including insights on sustainability, regulation, and ESG reporting — and shares a preview of what’s to come in the year ahead.

Each week, ESG Talk features candid conversations with business leaders from around the world. Season three explores the connections between people and data that are the foundation of ESG, including partnerships that move sustainability goals forward and best practices in reporting and assurance.

This ESG Talk mini-series highlights two episodes featuring Tensie Whelan, director of the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business. Part one introduces CSB’s innovative Return on Sustainability Investment—or ROSI—model. In part two, Tensie and Mandi McReynolds are joined by Kelly Fisher, head of corporate sustainability at HSBC Bank USA, and share stories of companies driving financial performance with ESG. 

Our second mini-series highlights episodes with Bob Eccles, a leading authority on integrated reporting, and Maher Al-Haffar, the chief financial officer of Cemex. Both guests join co-host Mandi McReynolds to discuss how the roles of the chief sustainability officer and chief financial officer are evolving alongside ESG.

Join Chief Sustainability Officer Allyson Anderson Book from Baker Hughes and Global Reporting Leader Nadja Picard from PwC Germany as they discuss the evolving landscape of ESG reporting, the transition from compliance to strategic opportunity, the roles of CEOs and CFOs in driving sustainable strategies, challenges in achieving net-zero goals, and advancements in sustainability practices and governance.

ESG Talk hosts reflect on key sustainability events in 2023, predict trends for 2024 like global regulations and generative AI impact. They discuss navigating complex ESG practices, the role of generative AI, and collaboration for a sustainable future. The episode concludes with a teaser for the next season.

Jingdong Hua, vice-chair of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), and Paul Druckman, chairman of the World Benchmarking Alliance, sit down with Workiva’s Mandi McReynolds to share how standards and benchmarks bring credibility to ESG reporting as well as their insights heading into COP28. 

A leading authority on integrated reporting, Robert Eccles joins Mandi McReynolds to explore how the role of the chief sustainability officer is evolving. They discuss the concept of trade-offs and resolving conflicts of interest between stakeholders as well as the deepening connection between finance and ESG.

Dina Trainor, managing director at Deloitte & Touche, discusses building governance, essential controls, and the role of auditors in ESG reporting. Highlights include the importance of cross-functional collaboration, the impact of board changes, leveraging technology for data collection, and the benefits of an ESG controller.