Financial Leadership for Climate Action: A CFO Roundtable

As more companies commit to ambitious carbon reduction goals, and as markets begin to demand accountability for those commitments, Chief Financial Officers are increasingly faced with the daunting costs and responsibility to lead the promised transition. CFOs are uniquely positioned to spearhead their companies’ climate efforts by mobilizing external resources, prioritizing internal initiatives, and navigating the complexities of emissions reporting and financial risk assessment. CFOs must have the knowledge and resources to deftly manage these new responsibilities in a way that sustains value creation.

The Climate Board brought together a diverse group of CFOs from leading companies to explore and address these common challenges. Participants in the CFO Roundtable had the opportunity to share insights, concerns, successes, and challenges in a collaborative but confidential setting.

Areas of discussion included:

• Quantifying the financial risks of climate change
• Mobilizing new external resources to fund transition efforts
• Prioritizing the internal climate-related initiatives that are most worthy of investment
• Reporting emissions and enhancing brand reputation through transparency