The Pre-Read

In this special 100th episode of ESG Talk, we kick off a two-part series with Priscilla Sims Brown, CEO of Amalgamated Bank, Jason Darby, CFO, and special guest host Kim Huffman, CIO of Workiva. Discover how the bank has aligned its entire organization around a century-old mission, while driving a modern, socially responsible business.

In the second installment of a series exploring sustainable finance, co-host Andie Wood meets with Maria Lettini, CEO of the US Sustainable Investment Forum (SIF), and Kevin Thomas, CEO of the Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE), to discuss how sustainable investors influence corporate sustainability strategy and ESG reporting.

The first installment of a two-part series, this episode explores sustainable finance from the perspective of Germany's leading bank. Jörg Eigendorf, Deutsche Bank's Chief Sustainability Officer, joins co-host Mandi McReynolds to discuss the organization's sustainability strategy, its sustainable finance framework and how the bank supports its clients with their transitions.

Michael Schor, partner in Deloitte & Touche LLP's Risk & Financial Advisory practice, and Grant Ostler, GRC industry principal at Workiva, join co-host Steve Soter for the latest episode of ESG Talk. The group explores the risks of unintentional greenwashing, external pressure on sustainability reporting, and how good governance builds truth and transparency. 

Julia Binder, professor of sustainable innovation and business transformation at IMD Business School, and Manuel Braun, director of Systemiq and lecturer at the Technical University of Munich, join co-host Andie Wood to share how businesses can integrate circularity into existing frameworks, illustrated by successful, real-world case studies.

Matt Kelly, editor and CEO of Radical Compliance, and Matthew Williams, ESG solutions lead at Clearview, join co-host Steve Soter to explore how cybersecurity and ESG intersect. Together, they discuss the challenges of assessing the importance of cybersecurity events, a year after the SEC introduced new rules on disclosing such incidents.

Bhushan Sethi, partner in PwC's Strategy& consulting business and adjunct professor at NYU Stern School of Business, returns to the show alongside best-selling author and keynote speaker Stan Phelps. Stan, Bhushan, and co-host Mandi McReynolds discuss the significance of trust and transparency in employee engagement and the relationship between well-being and financial performance.

In this episode of ESG Talk, Brett Weaver, tax leader for the ESG Practice at KPMG US, joins Workiva's Andie Wood to discuss everyone's favorite topic. Together they explore how tax acts as both a driver and measure of sustainability, taking advantage of green tax incentives, and the different approaches to tax policy in the United States and Europe.  

In this episode of ESG Talk, host Mandi McReynolds reflects on her conversation with AT&T's Chief Sustainability Officer, Charlene Lake. They discuss the importance of achieving audit-ready ESG data and the crucial role technology plays in tracking and reporting emissions data.

Laura Lane, chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer at UPS, joins Workiva's Andie Wood to explore how one of the world's largest package delivery companies is tackling emissions reduction. Listen in as they discuss the importance of leveraging data to drive down emissions, optimize investments, and achieve sustainability goals.

Jim Andrew, PepsiCo's chief sustainability officer, joins Workiva's Mandi McReynolds to discuss sustainable agriculture. Listen in as they explore forging trust and accountability in the supply chain, the concept of shared value, and the role of partnership in achieving ESG goals.

Tarynn Zenk, vice president of accounting and ESG controller at Mastercard, joins co-host Mandi McReynolds on the latest episode of ESG Talk to discuss the growing role of ESG controllers within companies. Discover how ESG controllers navigate the intersection of finance and sustainability, safeguarding the credibility of companies' ESG disclosures.

Garrett Quinn, group chief sustainability officer at Smurfit Kappa Group, one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging, and Robert Eccles, a leading authority on sustainability, join co-host Andie Wood on the latest ESG Talk episode. Listen in as they explore the intricacies of navigating sustainability and financial performance, achieving sustainability targets, and Smurfit Kappa's journ...

Shivaram Rajgopal, chair of the accounting division at Columbia Business School, and Gihan Hyde, founder and CEO of Communique, join co-host Mandi McReynolds on the latest episode of ESG Talk. Listen in as they discuss their advice for current and emerging leaders as well as how sustainability adds soul to accounting and could attract more people to the profession.

Eric Alam, CEO of RPD Energy, and Chris Pennington, director of energy and sustainability for Iron Mountain, join co-host Mandi McReynolds on ESG Talk to discuss the journey to carbon-free data centers. Listen in as they explore the surging electricity demands of modern data centers and the decisions that led Iron Mountain to pursue 24x7 carbon-free energy.

John Turner, CEO of XBRL International, and Wes Bricker, vice chair and trust solutions co-leader at PwC US, join Workiva's Andie Wood to explore the impact of digitization on ESG reporting. Discover how XBRL taxonomies make it easier to share and analyze data and their role in corporate sustainability. 

In this episode of ESG Talk, Steve Manocchio, head of global financial compliance and risk management at Cisco, meets with Workiva's Steve Soter to discuss incorporating climate data into financial disclosures and how assurance, technology, and community advance ESG initiatives.

Anthony Pugliese, president and CEO of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), joins co-host Mandi McReynolds to discuss global internal audit standards and their impact on corporate governance, risk management, and ESG reporting. From enhancing collaboration among teams to leveraging technology for audit programs, tune in as they discuss how organizations can adapt to today's dynamic business e...

In this episode, we welcome back to the show Alex Edmans, professor of finance at London Business School and author of May Contain Lies, to discuss data gaps, including ESG metrics, with co-host Andie Wood. They delve into the complexities of data interpretation, the nuances of ESG reporting, and the importance of contextualizing data within a broader narrative for effective communication and deci...

Julian Kölbel, assistant professor at the University of St. Gallen and a research affiliate at the MIT Sloan School of Management, joins co-host Mandi McReynolds for a discussion on ESG rating agencies. Listen in as they delve into his research on sustainable investing with a focus on ESG ratings, the disagreement between different rating agencies, and how it affects investors and companies. For m...

Miguel Sossa, vice president and sustainability GTM lead for Capgemini Americas, joins co-host Andie Wood to discuss the role supply chains play within ESG. They explore the pragmatic approaches necessary to advance towards a more sustainable world, tackling the urgent need for sustainable supply chains, and the challenge that Scope 3 emissions pose in measuring a company's carbon footprint.

In this episode of ESG Talk, host Andie Wood looks back on a conversation with Nadja Picard, partner and global reporting leader at PwC Germany. The duo explores how ESG reporting can drive operational change, the advantages of interoperability in standards, and the pivotal roles of CEOs and CFOs in spearheading ESG initiatives.

In this special crossover episode, ESG Talk and Off The Books dive into the long-awaited SEC climate disclosure rule. Jonathan Gregory of The Hershey Company and Alan Wilson of WilmerHale and hosts Steve Soter, Mandi McReynolds, and Andie Wood discuss what the new requirements mean for practitioners, investors, and the future of financial and ESG reporting.

Helle Bank Jorgensen, CEO of Competent Boards, and Paul Washington, executive director of The Conference Board ESG Center, join co-host Mandi McReynolds to discuss the pivotal role that boards play in advancing and achieving corporate sustainability objectives. Listen in as they discuss how boards prepare to meet today's economic, environmental, and social challenges.

Alison Taylor, clinical associate professor at NYU Stern School of Business and author, joins co-host Mandi McReynolds to discuss the role of business in society, including stakeholder capitalism, employee engagement, and measuring impact with data and technology. Listen in as they explore how ESG fits within the bigger picture of driving societal progress and achieving long-term value creation fo...