Webinars and Events Careers Login
  • About
  • Sectors
  • Solutions
  • Success Stories
  • Insights
  • Contact

About Us

  • How we help you icon How We Help
  • Sustainability Transformation What is Sustainability Transformation
  • Leadership ENGIE Impact Leadership Team
  • Leadership Leadership Team, SRM Division
  • Corporate Sustainability Corporate Sustainability
  • Consultants Meet Our Consultants
  • Newsroom Newsroom
  • Diversity and Inclusion Inclusion at ENGIE Impact
  • Briefcase Careers
Contact Us

Sectors

  • Chemicals Chemicals
  • Consumer goods Consumer Goods
  • Food Beverage Food & Beverage
  • Healthcare Healthcare
  • Hospitality Hospitality
  • Mining metals Mining & Metals
  • Pulp Paper Pulp & Paper
  • Real Estate Property Real Estate & Property
  • Restaurant Restaurant
  • Retail Retail
  • Technology Technology
  • Telecom Media Telecom, Media & Entertainment
View All Sectors
  • Expense Data Management Utility Expense Management
  • Waste Consulting Services Waste Expense Management
  • EI icon telecom media Telecom Expense Management
  • Renewable Electricity Renewable Energy
  • Energy Supply Manager Services Energy Supply Management
  • Energy Manager Services Energy Management
  • Carbon Management Carbon Management
  • Waste Icon Total Waste Management
  • Ellipse platform Ellipse - Reporting Platform
  • About
    • About
    • How we help you icon How We Help
    • Sustainability Transformation What is Sustainability Transformation
    • Leadership ENGIE Impact Leadership Team
    • Leadership Leadership Team, SRM Division
    • Corporate Sustainability Corporate Sustainability
    • Consultants Meet Our Consultants
    • Newsroom Newsroom
    • Diversity and Inclusion Inclusion at ENGIE Impact
    • Briefcase Careers
    • Contact Us
  • Sectors
    • Sectors
    • Chemicals Chemicals
    • Consumer goods Consumer Goods
    • Food Beverage Food & Beverage
    • Healthcare Healthcare
    • Hospitality Hospitality
    • Mining metals Mining & Metals
    • Pulp Paper Pulp & Paper
    • Real Estate Property Real Estate & Property
    • Restaurant Restaurant
    • Retail Retail
    • Technology Technology
    • Telecom Media Telecom, Media & Entertainment
    • View All Sectors
  • Solutions
    • Solutions
    • Gradient Capabilities SRM simplified Resource Management
      • Resource Management
      • Expense Data Management Utility Expense Management
      • Waste Consulting Services Waste Expense Management
      • EI icon telecom media Telecom Expense Management
      • Renewable Electricity Renewable Energy
      • Energy Supply Manager Services Energy Supply Management
      • Energy Manager Services Energy Management
      • Carbon Management Carbon Management
      • Waste Icon Total Waste Management
      • Ellipse platform Ellipse - Reporting Platform
      • Learn More
  • Success Stories
  • Insights
  • Webinars and Events
  • Careers
  • Login
  • Contact

2021 Outlook: Why, and How, the CFO Should Lead ESG Efforts

News
See All News and Events
ESGs
Sustainable Finance
Sustainability Transformation

This year, CFOs should prepare their companies for increased scrutiny on environmental, social and governance performance, if they haven't already.

One of many 2021 imperatives for CFOs: preparing their organizations for increased scrutiny on environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics from investors, regulators and the public.

Many CFOs, across industries, have long recognized the benefit and importance of standardized, audited ESG reporting. The social activism of last year has only reinforced that. But how will ESG requirements and expectations challenge CFOs going forward?

2021 is the year of ESG capitulation, according to Blaine Townsend, director of sustainable investing at wealth management firm Bailard. "A lot of that comes from basic points we've argued for 50 years: companies who treat their employees and the environment better and are more transparent with stakeholders might make for better long-term investments."

Townsend, who has focused on ESG for 30 years, said at the beginning of his career, if you tried approaching a company you were interested in investing in about a sustainability issue in their supply chain, they'd direct you to their PR department.

No longer.

"There's been an incredible evolution in the c-suite on how to approach these issues," he said. "It's become a PR issue. There's an understanding in the c-suite that someone must be able to answer for ESG."

In many ways, the CFO should be the "main cheerleader" for sustainability issues, he said.

gradient-quote Some of the acceptance of [ESG comes from] the ability to internalize the cost savings from better performance around energy issues. The CFO stands to benefit from better environmental practice. Long-term planning is a critical part of business success, and it lines up well with sustainability issues. gradient-quote-right
Blaine Townsend, Director of Sustainable Investing, Bailard

Businesses that emerge from COVID-19 should get out of survival mode and set themselves up for long-term success. Doing so requires being proactive towards ESG.

"Regulatory issues are coming," he said, referring to the possibility of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) formalizing ESG reporting. "For that alone, getting ahead will pay off. The smart companies are always ahead and not playing catch-up."

CFOs can, in many ways, demonstrate the benefits of ESG prioritization. The cost of capital drops for companies with better ESG performance, Townsend says, whether that's due to retaining or hiring the best talent, or seeing the benefits flow through to the bottom line.

View Full Article on CFO Dive

Related

NFL Donating Furnishings, Food From 2025 Draft To Local Green Bay Charities Leveraging AI for Emissions Reporting Data Using Electrification to Build a Decarbonization Roadmap in Manufacturing
How We Help Investor Relations Contact Us Newsroom Cookie Notice Privacy Policy Ethics & Compliance Platform Expertise Sustainability Success Stories Sectors Suppliers Insights
Sign up for updates
© 2025 ENGIE Impact All rights reserved.