Date
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
* Virtual Platform
Zoom
* The Zoom details will be provided in a separate communication after successful registration.
Event Timeline
12:00 PM
Welcome
12:00 - 1:00 PM
Virtual Session (Including Q & A)
Registration & Cancellation Policies:
Register and/or send cancellations by noon on Tuesday, 9/6 to:
CPE Credit:
This event is eligible for 1 CPE credit. Virtual participants must attend from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM and answer polling questions to receive credit.
Contact
Michelle WeissFinancial Executives International
920.750.9110
michelle@mwcommunications.org
Topic
ESG: Evolution & Opportunities
Summary Learning Objectives
The rise of ESG-focused investing – now one out of every three dollars under professional management in the USA – should be a movement defined by trust, good governance, and accountability. After all, the movement to promote corporate action on environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards is aimed at making progress on values and shared prosperity. If there is one thing that a company should do to affirm its ESG bona fides, it should be to report its efforts honestly, transparently, and accurately.
Sadly, ESG reporting is as fraught as financial reporting, if not more so. When companies make claims about their ESG performance, it is very difficult for investors to verify those claims. The present-day system of standards and practices that govern financial reporting took decades to take shape. We can’t wait that long to set standards around ESG reporting. At the same time, it cannot happen overnight or without learning the lessons from our experience.
Learning Objectives
1. ESG – What is driving the increased emphasis on ESG
2. ESG and regulation – the SEC proposal, timing and details
3. Issues and opportunities associated with ESG metrics and reporting (as it pertains to financial professionals)
John Friedman
Managing Director | ESG & Sustainability Practice | Grant Thornton
Biography
John Friedman is a managing director in Grant Thornton LLP’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Sustainability practice, based in the firm’s Arlington, Virginia office. As a member of the firm’s ESG and Sustainability leadership team, Friedman focuses on developing sustainability strategies and reporting solutions for organizations ranging from the middle-market to the Fortune 500.
With an international career spanning three decades, Friedman is an award-winning ESG and sustainability leader who has helped global companies integrate their operational, financial, and cultural initiatives into sustainable and responsible business practices. He has also been instrumental in helping companies of all sizes rise to the top of the sustainability rankings for their respective sectors, including building materials, food service and facilities management and energy. Additionally, Friedman has extensive experience helping organizations define long-term sustainability goals, especially as it relates to environmental stewardship, social progress, and sound governance practices.
Friedman is a respected voice in the ESG community, often presenting at colleges and universities as well as meetings and conferences, including Sustainable Brands, 3BLForum, Just Means and Business for Social Responsibility. He has also authored several books on sustainability and has been quoted frequently in national news outlets. He received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Albany State University and a business certification from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Financial Executives International (FEI) is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.learningmarket.org.