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
Nov 17, 2023 • 21min
Redefining the Role of the CSO
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.
Nov 10, 2023 • 19min
Navigating Audits & Controls in ESG Reporting
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.
Nov 5, 2023 • 16min
Tackling ESRS and Double Materiality
This podcast discusses the new European Sustainability Reporting Standards and their connection to double materiality. It covers the development and purpose of the ESRS standards, the importance of assessing both financial and non-financial impacts, the alignment of financial materiality and ISSB's assessment, and the value of conducting a materiality assessment in sustainability reporting.
Oct 27, 2023 • 31min
Unifying Climate Data in Financial Disclosures
Steve Manocchio, senior director of financial compliance and operations at Cisco, joins ESG Talk host Steve Soter in a conversation around unifying climate data in financial disclosures. Listen in as they explore the financial impact of ESG, the evolving role of accountants, and how assurance and technology can help further ESG initiatives.
Oct 20, 2023 • 23min
The CFO’s Role in Sustainability
The chief financial officer of Cemex, Maher Al-Haffar, joins Workiva’s Mandi McReynolds to examine how ESG is influencing the office of the CFO. Mandi and Maher discuss the pivotal role of CFOs at the intersection of sustainable finance and its potential impact on business and society.
Oct 13, 2023 • 16min
Understanding TNFD & TCFD Frameworks
ESG Talk host Andie Wood discusses the final recommendations of the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and their connection to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Join us as Andie unpacks the significance of both guidelines, their strategic timing, and their impact on environmental sustainability and financial transparency.
Oct 6, 2023 • 26min
Exploring the Intersectionality of ESG
Keurig Dr Pepper’s Chief Sustainability Officer and Interim Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Monique Oxender, joins ESG Talk host Mandi McReynolds to talk about the intersectionality of ESG and creating synergies within business, governance, and communities. They discuss the importance of connectivity and alignment across departments to ensure long-term impact.
Sep 26, 2023 • 27min
Unite to Ignite: Amplify 2023
ESG Talk and Off The Books join forces at Amplify! Workiva’s Catherine Tsai interviews Mandi McReynolds, Steve Soter, and conference attendees to explore trends like generative AI and how finance and accounting, ESG, and audit and risk are evolving — together. Access virtual Amplify sessions here: sm.workiva.com/amplify-podcast
Sep 22, 2023 • 25min
Forging a Path to Net Zero
Todd Brady, chief sustainability officer at Intel, joins Mandi McReynolds for the final episode in the ESG Talk Climate Week series. Todd sheds light on Intel's pursuit of net-zero emissions, emphasizing the importance of energy efficiency and how technology fosters disclosure and accountability for a more sustainable world. Watch ESG in the C-Suite here: sm.workiva.com/esg-csuite
Sep 15, 2023 • 18min
Putting Circularity to Work
Can businesses embrace circularity without compromising profitability? Kurt Ritter, The Coca-Cola Company’s vice president and general manager of sustainability North America, joins Mandi McReynolds in the third episode of the ESG Talk Climate Week series. Mandi and Kurt explore collaboration within the supply chain and integrating sustainability strategies into business outcomes across a global organization.
