Workiva at Climate Week NYC 2024

Workiva made a grand entrance at Climate Week NYC with the debut of Workiva Carbon! Our presence was not just about joining the conversation on climate action, but about leading it-demonstrating our commitment to helping businesses transition to sustainable practices and meet global climate goals with confidence and clarity.

Through both virtual and in-person conversations, we:

• Heard insights from experts across industries, including Nadja Picard from PwC and Tensie Whelan from NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, on how sustainability can be a driver for business performance
• Connected with customers doing good like Allyson Book from Baker Hughes
• Shared our insights from Workiva CEO Julie Iskow on The Nest Climate CampusMain Stage with founder of CDP Paul Dickinson

It's "both and," not "either or." Sustainability fuels performance. -Julie Iskow, President & CEO, Workiva

Workiva executives participated in United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Meetings (SDIM) to drive action toward the sustainable development goals (SDGs). From the Private Sector Forum and UNGC Leaders Summit to the gathering of the WEF Chief Sustainability Officers community, Workiva partnered alongside other global leaders to shape the future of sustainable business and build momentum for COP29 and WEF's Annual Meeting this coming January in Davos.
This work isn't new to us. Workiva was the first SaaS company to join the UN Global Compact CFO Coalition in 2021, which focuses on mobilizing finance teams and CFOs to align corporate strategies with the SDGs. In 2023, Workiva joined the World Economic Forum as a partner with the Center for Nature and Climate and the Center for Financial & Monetary Systems.

So what did we take away from Climate Week NYC?

Seize the opportunity ahead of you

On a crossover episode of our podcasts ESG Talk and Off the Books, Mandi McReynolds, Workiva VP of Global ESG and Chief Sustainability Officer, and Steve Soter, Workiva VP and Industry Principal, hosted founder and strategic advisor of CDP and Climate Week co-founder Paul Dickinson. What did he have to say about the call for action? "Make it happen."

Now is the time to roll your sleeves up and do the work. Collaborate with peers, brainstorm solutions to problems, break down barriers, and fix the issues at hand. As Julie said from the main stage, "We need to educate and ensure the board understands how sustainability and performance help each other."

Leverage data-driven insights to foster innovation

During a private dinner we hosted, Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever and co-founder of IMAGINE, shared his experience transforming ambition into actionable results.

His advice? Use data to your advantage. "With the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Europe is setting a new global benchmark for corporate responsibility. This legislation is not a regulatory hurdle. It is a powerful tool that forces companies to move beyond talk and integrate sustainability deeply into their business strategy. It challenges businesses to drive real action towards a future-proof economy. While it may be daunting for some, net positive businesses will view this as a chance to lead, innovate, and set the pace for global positive impact."

Build reliability and accountability

Investors and stakeholders alike are craving consistency when it comes to sustainability reporting. Regulatory compliance can help address that.

Instead of viewing the CSRD as a burden, many companies are looking to it as an opportunity to build standardized assured integrated reporting practices.

Mandi summed it up in a panel with Financial Times: "When I talk to investors, they are looking for something they can trust. Regulations help make that standardization possible."

The TL;DR version of the week is: Don't wait, the time to act is now!

If you weren't able to participate in Climate Week NYC, check out our selection of on-demand content here!

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