The Pre-Read

Jeannie Renné-Malone, vice president of global sustainability for VF Corporation, and Tim Tensen, chief operating officer for Terra Genesis, join co-host Andie Wood to discuss regenerative agriculture and the transformative potential of their partnership in fueling product innovation and creating a sustainable supply chain. Learn how this initiative is paving the way for a more environmentally con...

Mandi McReynolds looks back on her conversation on the value of collaboration in ESG with Noel Kinder, chief sustainability officer at Nike, and Brian Matt, head of ESG advisory at the New York Stock Exchange. Listen in as the trio discusses ESG's role as a catalyst for product innovation, and explores the value of collaboration and how we can learn from each other to address the biggest challenge...

Tensie Whelan, Director of NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, and Jackie Murphy, former Managing Director of Edelman Purpose & Impact, join co-host Andie Wood to discuss a consumer brand study the two organizations partnered on around sustainability claims, exploring impact and performance across diverse consumer groups. Listen in to learn about the best practices for creating action-backe...

Katherine Neebe, chief sustainability and philanthropy officer at Duke Energy, joins co-host Mandi McReynolds to discuss the company's commitment to one of the largest clean energy transitions in North America. Mandi and Katherine explore the role of energy companies in ESG, including how to achieve a balanced energy transition while meeting the diverse needs of customers and stakeholders. 

Brandon B. Buhler, SVP and chief accounting officer at Playa Hotels & Resorts, and Melanie Glover, partner in PwC's ESG Trust Solutions practice, join co-host Steve Soter to discuss assurance and integrated reporting. They navigate the nuances of collaborating with a professional services firm and adopting a robust approach to ESG reporting akin to financial reporting.

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....

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.

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 performan...

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.

This mini-series combines two of the most popular episodes of the season: "The Future of ESG Reporting," featuring Allyson Anderson Book, chief sustainability officer at Baker Hughes, and "Reporting Led Transformation," with Nadja Picard, partner and global reporting leader at PwC Germany. Listen as both guests discuss the dynamic landscape of ESG reporting and its role in sustainable business.

ESG Talk hosts Mandi McReynolds, Steve Soter, Andie Wood, and Ernest Anunciacion come together for the first time in this special season finale. The group discusses key moments that shaped sustainability in 2023 and their predictions for 2024 — including the massive impact of global regulations and generative AI.  

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 in Deloitte & Touche LLP's Controllership Practice, joins ESG Talk host Ernest Anunciacion to discuss how companies can build governance, risk, and compliance for ESG reporting. The duo dive into the importance of governance, essential controls, and the roles of internal and external auditors in building a robust reporting program.

In this quick chat, ESG Talk host Andie Wood provides an update on the European Sustainability Reporting Standards — new reporting rules companies will need to follow to comply with the CSRD — and explores their connection to the concept of double materiality. 

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.  

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.  

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. 

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.

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

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    

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 o...

For the second installment in our Climate Week series, Mandi McReynolds is joined by global experts Eelco van der Enden, CEO of the Global Reporting Initiative, and Anna Nefedova, global ESG reporting leader at Deloitte. They walk us through the various global reporting standards and how they benefit the organizations that use them.

With Climate Week NYC around the corner, there's no better time to reconnect with Paul Dickinson, Climate Week co-founder, Workiva ESG advisor, and the founder and chair of CDP. Paul joins host Mandi McReynolds to kick off a four week series exploring Climate Week and its impact on corporate sustainability. Looking for more? Join Workiva for "ESG in the C-Suite," a free, virtual session at Climate...

In this quick episode of ESG Talk, Mandi McReynolds highlights key findings from Workiva's second ESG practitioner survey, which polled more than 900 professionals involved in ESG reporting across North America, Europe, and Asia. The data underscores the complexity in ESG reporting and reveals a surprising disconnect between managers and executives. Read the report:  workiva.com/2023-ESG-Survey Re...