Wolters Kluwer demonstrates how ESG technology brings clarity and competitive advantage
Wolters Kluwer’s Corporate Performance & ESG (CP & ESG) division has set out key issues major corporate and financial services institutions should consider when tackling emerging ESG reporting challenges. The insights are featured in a new strategy report, “Bringing clarity to the complexity of financial and ESG reporting,” which zeroes in on the significant impact that the expected enforcement of global ESG regulations will have on multinational companies.
The paper, authored by Wolters Kluwer CP & ESG experts, recommends that companies work quickly to leverage technology to bring clarity to the myriad of ESG expectations they face, by transforming the way they collect, report, analyze and assure the accuracy of integrated financial and non-financial reporting data. Specifically, the paper outlines why investors, consumers, analysts, employees, and other key stakeholders are increasingly viewing corporate ESG performance as a key indicator of a business’s operational health, right alongside financial key performance indicators (KPIs).
The paper also suggests five priorities for C-suite leaders who want to leverage integrated ESG and financial reporting as a competitive advantage. Meanwhile,, digital transformation is shown to be !essential for organizations that want to cut through new levels of data complexity, mitigate evolving risks, and comply with the ever-changing regulatory environment.”
Globally, multinational companies are already trying to make sense of the more than 600 different pieces of ESG regulation that are currently in play. This paper is released ahead of expected moves by regulators in the European Union (EU), Japan, the UK, the US, and other countries that are actively considering the implementation of new mandatory disclosure requirements, as part of broader efforts to align reporting comparability and transparency for investors.
Karen Abramson, CEO of Wolters Kluwer CP & ESG, said: “For the first time in history, businesses are being required to report on both financial and non-financial data. This shift is creating a true sea change in the complexity of corporate reporting, which cannot be addressed with manual processes or legacy technologies alone. There will undoubtedly be regional nuance and points of difference, but most significant regulatory frameworks will be complex and robust. This new reality will require smart, agile data management solutions. The businesses that digitally transform the way they collect, report, analyze, and assure the accuracy of their financial and ESG data and reporting will create a distinct competitive advantage.”
While the EU is taking a leading role in implementing ESG reporting requirements, with policies including the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) – which mandates ESG disclosure for asset managers across the 27-nation bloc – Wolters Kluwer experts acknowledge that other regulatory reporting requirements are poised to follow suit. The G7, as another example, recently signaled its support of mandatory climate disclosure, while countries across the Asia Pacific are signaling a marked shift in their ESG reporting expectations, with numerous regulators set to mandate funds’ ESG disclosure in coming years.
Wolters Kluwer established its CP & ESG division in March 2023 to meet the growing demand from corporations and banks for integrated financial, operational, and ESG performance management and reporting solutions. Wolters Kluwer CP & ESG was recently named among the leading global providers of ESG software in the inaugural, prestigious Green Quadrant: ESG Reporting and Data Management Software 2023 report from Verdantix, an independent research firm. The company was also named a “Top Vendor” in the inaugural 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance Reporting (ESG) Market Study, published by Dresner Advisory Services.
As previously reported the division is comprised of four global software units: Corporate Performance (CCH Tagetik; including U.S. Corporate Tax); EHS/ORM Software (Enablon); Finance, Risk & Regulatory Reporting (OneSumX) and Internal Audit Solutions (TeamMate).
“All four businesses serve global corporations and banks with cloud and on-premise solutions and have leading market positions in their specific areas of expertise,” the company said in a statement in February 2023. “Combining these assets will allow Wolters Kluwer to accelerate synergies and leverage their combined global strengths to pursue a growing market opportunity.” A London-based spokesman also confirmed the division would be home to approximately 2,500 professionals globally.