2024 年財(cái)務(wù)辦公室展望：環(huán)境影響報(bào)告-英

2024

Of?ce

of

FinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpact

ReportingExaminingtheGrowingSigni?canceofLeaseControlsasComplianceStandardsEvolve1Table

of

ContentsExecutiveSummary35792023EnvironmentalImpactReportingAnalysisCommonEnvironmentalImpactReportingChallenges&HowtoOvercomeThemTheEvolutionoftheO?ceofFinanceConclusion:SelectingtheRightFintechPlatformtoSupportEnvironmentalImpactReportingNeedsin20241122024O?ceofFinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpactReportingExecutive

SummaryThroughout2023,interestinEnvironmental,SocialandGovernance(ESG)reportingandgoalsettingsurged,transcendingindustryboundariesandreshapingcorporatelandscapesasorganizationsincreasinglyprioritizedsustainabilityandresponsiblebusinesspractices.Multiplefactorsaredrivingthistransformationinglobalenterprisebusinesses:PotentialInvestorEmployeePro?tabilityRelationsRetentionS&PGlobalfoundthat53%ofrevenuesofthe500largestUScompaniesand49%ofrevenuesofthe1,200largestglobalcompaniescomefrombusinessactivitiesthataretiedtosustainabledevelopmentgoals.DeloittereportedthatESG-mandatedassetscouldmakeuphalfofallprofessionallymanagedinvestmentsby2025.AccordingtoMarsh&McLennan,organizationswiththehighestemployeesatisfaction

had

ESG

scores14%higherthantheglobalaverage,likelyduetotheirstrongenvironmentalperformance.AsthepressuretoestablishandexpandESGprogramstoprepareforemergingregulatoryrequirementsmounts,organizationsarealreadyanticipatingcriticism–infact,TheConferenceBoardfoundthatamajorityofcompaniesareconcernedaboutbacklashspreadingamongemployees,investors,businesspartners,consumersandthemediaoverthenexttwoyears.Thankfully,variousregulatorybodiesarecommittedtointroducingstandardizationtothereportingprocess.InJune2023,theInternationalSustainabilityStandardsBoard(ISSB)introducedthe?rst-everglobalsustainabilitydisclosurestandards.Justafewmonthslater,CaliforniaGovernorNewsomsignedtheCaliforniaClimateAccountabilityPackage,comprisedoftwobills,SenateBill253(SB253)andSenateBill261(SB261),whichmandatebothpublicandprivatecompaniesoperatinginCaliforniatodisclosetheirgreenhousegas(GHG)emissionsaswellasclimate-related?nancialrisk.32024O?ceofFinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpactReportingWithsomuchin?ux,there37%65%isconfusionaroundwhatwillberequiredofdifferententities.28%WhileESGreportingisprovingtobeextremelynuanced,thereisonecommonalityacrossallexistingandforthcomingregulations:impactedbusinessesshouldquicklygatherandanalyzeallrelateddataastheanticipatedwindowforcomplianceisshort.65%

oforganizationswithmorethan1,000employeeswillbereportingunder

the

SEC

requirementsAsifcomplianceweren’treasonenoughfororganizationstoprioritizetheirESGreportinge?orts,thereisanopportunityfortheseentitiestousetheirexistingdatatoestablishcriticalbenchmarks.37%

oftheseorganizationsbelievetheSECrequirementswillmirrorthe

ISSB

guidelinesInthisreport,industryexpertsfromVisualLease(VL)and

otherorganizationssuchasBioRad,PennStateHealth,Indeed,MISTRASand

Compasswillshare:AnticipatedchallengesassociatedwithenvironmentalreportingandstrategiestomitigatethemWhile28%

believetheSECrequirementswillbedi?erentthan

the

ISSB

guidelinesTheadvantagesstrongleasemanagementpracticescanhavewithrespecttoenvironmentalimpactreportingin2024andbeyondHow?nanceleadersplayapivotalroleinguidingorganizationsthroughthistransformativeperiod42024O?ceofFinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpactReporting2023

Environmental

Impact

Reporting

AnalysisWorldwide,buildingsareresponsiblefor37%ofglobalcarbonemissionsand34%ofenergydemand,accordingtotheGlobalStatusReportforBuildingsandConstruction(Builings-GSR).Giventhein?uencecommercialleaseshaveonanorganization’soverallenvironmentalfootprint,manyarerecognizingtheimportanceofnegotiatingtermsthatalignwiththeirESGgoals.88%ofsurveyedsenioraccountingand?nanceexecutivesreportthatenvironmentalandsustainability

factorsare

a

high

priority

when

entering

into

newlease

agreements,

includingrealestate,?eet,equipment,land,etc.49%45%41%areincreasingthenumberofLEED-certi?edbuildingsintheirleaseportfolios.areincreasingthenumberofenergy-e?cientvehiclesintheir?eets.areswitchingtorenewableenergysources.arebuyingcarbono?sets–thislowerinterestmaybeduetorecentnegativecoveragecompanieshavereceivedthatpointtoapotentiallinkbetweencarbono?setsand“greenwashing.”35%Butwithoutvisibilityintothe

currentenvironmentalimpactoftheirownedand

leasedassets,businessescannotreasonablysetaccurate,achievablesustainabilitygoals.52024O?ceofFinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpactReportingInearly2023,VisualLeasereportedthatastaggering99%ofseniorrealestateexecutivesatcompanieswithmorethan1,000employeesnoteditisThereisabigopportunityhereformostbusinesses,asnearly70%ofsenioraccountingand?nanceexecutivesreportthattheirorganizationsarenotfullypreparedintermsoftheirabilitytotrackandmeasuretheenvironmentalimpactofleasedandownedassetportfoliostocomplywiththenewandemergingenvironmentalreportingrequirements.importantthattheirorganization’sfutureleaseshelpreduceitscarbonfootprint.Forthosebusinessestomakeinformeddecisionsaboutfutureleases,theymust?rstassesstheirexistingleasestounderstandwheretheycanmakeimprovements.Theseinsightswillhelpinformago-forwardapproach–suchastransitioningtorenewablesourcesofenergyoroptingforsmaller,satelliteo?celocations–whichwillassistthe90%ofsenioraccountingand?nanceexecutiveswhoarelookingtoimplementnewsustainabilitygoalsoverthenexttwoto?veyears.However,

84%

of

organizationshavesincemadestrongerleasecontrolsandoverallmanagementahigherbusinesspriority.Themajorityofsurveyedsenior?nanceandaccountingexecutiveshavereportedthatwhilethey’vecollectedkeyenvironmentaldata,lessthan40%haveanalyzedorusedthedatatoestablishbenchmarks.Thisdelaycanbeattributedtoafewdi?erentreasons:somemaybeveryearlyinthegatheringprocesswithincompletedata,othersmightnottrusttheirdatayetduetoweakprocesses,inadequatecontrolsand/oralackofacentralizedviewoftheirleasedandownedassetrecords.Alloftheseissuesareimpedimentstobeingabletoaccessandanalyzeaportfoliotoestablishaccuratebenchmarks.Whilethereareclearparallelsbetweenthepreparationrequiredtoachievecompliancewiththeleaseaccountingstandardsandenvironmentalreportingrequirements,thereisoneimportantdistinctionthatorganizationsmustaccountfor–whenitcomesto?nancialstatements,accountantsand?nanceprofessionalshaveyearsofrelatedtrainingandexperiencewhereas,withenvironmentalreportingandclimate-relateddisclosures,theydonot.Considerthisanalogy:Supposeyouhaveapileofamillionbricks.Isthatalotoralittle?Howbigarethebricks?Whatwillbebuiltfromthem?Lackofrelevantexperienceandcontextwillimpactorganizations’abilitytoestablishbenchmarks.Thankfully,theintroductionoftheleaseaccountingstandards(ASC842,GASB87andIFRS16)shinedalightontheneedforstrongerleaseandrelatedrecordmanagement–aprocessthatremainscriticaltosustainingleaseaccountingcompliance.Todosoe?ectively,?nanceteamsrequiremoreknowledgeandon-goingsupporttonavigatethisrapidlyevolvingreportingneed.Nearly40%ofglobalcarbondioxideemissionsoriginatefromrealestate-relatedassets.Properleasemanagementisanorganization’sentrypointtonotonlymeasuringandreportingontheirenvironmentalimpact,butalsounderstandinghowtomakeimprovementsforamoresustainablefuture.62024O?ceofFinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpactReportingCommon

EnvironmentalImpact

Reporting

Challenges&

How

to

Overcome

ThemHomeServicesisa$5billionrealestatecompany,withadecentralizedstructurethatmakestrackingdata–especiallycompliancedata–particularlytricky.Earlierin2023,VisualLeasereportedthat83%ofseniorrealestateexecutivesfelttheircompaniesdidnothavetherequiredtechnology,peopleandprocessesneededtosuccessfullymanagetheirlease-relatedexpenses.Priorto2018,HomeServicesusedahomegrowndatabasetostorebasicleaseinformation.Today,51%oforganizationsareeitherrelyingonExcelorathirdpartytohelpthemmanagetheirleaseadministrationprocesses.AfterimplementingVisualLeaseastheircentralizedsystemofrecord,HomeServicesgainedvisibilityintotheirleaseportfolio,whichhastranslatedintocon?dentreportingandhelpedwithbudgetingandforecasting.Theinherentcomplexityofleasedatademandsamoresophisticatedsolution.Organizationsshouldmoveawayfromad-hocorfragmentedapproachesandoptforadedicatedsystemofrecordthatenablesstrongleasecontrols.Doingsowilladdressthemainconcernsthat99%ofsurveyedsenior?nanceandaccountingexecutiveshavewithmaintainingpropercontrolovertheirorganization’sleaseportfolio:LearnmoreaboutHomeServices’experience>Challenge

#1:47%ofsenioraccountingand?nanceexecutivesareconcernedaboutresourcingtherequiredwork.Visual

Lease

automatedreports

saved

Penn

StateHealth

180

hoursa

year.LearnmoreaboutPennStateHealth’sexperience>Solution:

Becausemultiplestakeholders(?nance,realestate,procurement,accountspayable,legal,etc.)interactwithownedandleasedassetsthroughouttheirentirelifecycle,it’simportantto?rstestablishde?nedroles–i.e.,whoisresponsiblefornegotiatingtermsvs.monitoringthetermsoncealeaseisexecuted,etc.72024O?ceofFinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpactReportingScope

EmissionsPrimerChallenge

#2:48%ofsenioraccountingand?nanceexecutivesareconcernedaboutdataaccuracyandcompleteness.Solution:

Oncerolesareestablished,responsiblepartiesshouldgatherandanalyzeleaseandownedassetrecordstoidentifyconsumptiondataofgreenhousegasemissions(CO2,PFCs,CH4,SF6,N2O,HFCs).Scope

1:Challenge

#3:44%ofsenioraccountingand?nanceexecutivesareconcernedwithachievingcompliancewithESGrequirementsandpolicies.DIRECTRefertoemissionsthatcomefromacompany’sownedorcontrolledsources.*Solution:

EnsurethereisapartyresponsibleforkeepingtabsonESGreportingguidance–forexample,understandingthedi?erencebetweenscope1,2and3emissionsandkeepingtrackofupdatesfromregulatorybodiesliketheSEC.Challenge

#4:46%ofsenioraccountingand?nanceexecutivesareconcernedabouttheirabilitytoreacttounforeseencircumstances,suchassupplychaindisruptionsandin?ation.Solution:

Leverageyourcentralizedsystemofrecordtoanalyzeyourportfolioofleasedandownedassetstoidentifycostsavingsopportunitiesandreallocatefundsbasedoncurrentneeds.Scope

2:INDIRECTRefertoemissionsthatcomefromthegenerationofpurchasedenergy.*Challenge

#5:44%ofsenioraccountingand?nanceexecutivesareconcernedwithsustainingleaseaccountingcompliance.Solution:

Utilizingacentralizedleaseportfoliosystemofrecordwillalsoempoweryoutoeasilykeeptrackofanychangesormodi?cationstoyourleases,whichwillensureallleaseaccountingcalculationsareaccurateDay2andbeyond.Challenge

#6:39%ofsenioraccountingand?nanceexecutivesareconcernedaboutbeingpreparedforaudits.Scope

3:INDIRECTRefertoemissionsthatarenotcoveredinScope1andScope2,andarecreatedbyacompany’svaluechain.*Solution:

Establishcontrolsthatenforcetherolesandresponsibilitiesofeachstakeholderbyenablingaccesstotheappropriatepointofcontactattheappropriatepointintime.Implementasolutionthatcanbecon?guredtosupportyourorganization’scontrolpoliciestoensuretheyareadheredto.*”Scope1,2and3Emissions”fromDeloitte82024O?ceofFinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpactReportingThe

Evolution

of

the

Of?ce

of

FinanceAsreportedbyMcKinsey,“Modern?nancedepartmentsaretransformingtobecomethe‘guardiansofenterprisevaluecreation,’shiftingfromoverseeingtransactionaltaskstomanagingvalue-addedactivities.”O(jiān)verthepastdecade,corporate?nancedepartmentshaveincreasinglyassumednewresponsibilitiesthatshapestrategicdecisionsanddrivecriticalbusinessinitiativesforward.Whenaskedwhatskillsaremostimportantforfuture

?nance

leaderstohaveoverthenext?veyears,senioraccountingand

?nance

executivesprioritizedthe

following:40%Theabilitytodrivedigitaltransformationprojectsthatunitedataviews38%Communicationcapabilitiestofacilitaterequiredcross-departmentalcollaboration38%Anticipatingneedsandsettingpoliciesthatfuture-proofbusinesses35%Theabilitytoanticipateandsolveproblems34%Dataanalysisandmakingdata-drivendecisionsGiventheimpactthatanorganization’senvironmentalfootprintcanhaveonitsinternalandexternalstakeholders,itiscrucialthatheadinginto2024,theO?ceofFinanceprioritizesrelatedreportinge?orts.97%ofsurveyedsenior?nanceandaccountingexecutivesand100%ofsurveyedCAOsandCFOsatcompanieswithmorethan1,000employeesareinvolvedwiththeirorganization’scurrentstateofESGreporting.92024O?ceofFinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpactReportingHowever,lessthanone-thirdofsenior?nanceandaccountingexecutivesreportthattheirESGreportingframeworkisfullyestablishedandincludesavarietyofenvironmentalfactorswith30%disclosingthattheirframeworkislimitedtospeci?corganizationinitiatives,furtherunderscoringtheneedforaccurateandcompletedatasetstodeterminehelpfulbenchmarksandfacilitateinformedgoal-setting.These?ndingsalsohighlighttheimportanceofconsultingwiththirdpartiestoensurethereisadequatesupportandresourcesdedicatedtokeepingupwithregulatoryupdatesandneed-to-knowsthatcanimpactyourorganization’scompliancewithinternalorexternalsustainabilitygoals.Respondentshaverankedthe

followingactionsasappropriate?rststepstowardmeetingenvironmentaland

sustainabilitygoals:27%20%20%18%17%Collectingdataaboutgreenhousegasemissionsfromownedandleasedassets

standardsandtodeterminebaselines

measurestouseDecidingonthespeci?cESGIdentifyingallinternalandexternalstakeholdersAnalyzingportfolioofownedandleasedassetsIntegrateleaserecorddatawithothersolutionsintheFintechstackTheseaddedresponsibilitiesdonotreplace,butrather,areinadditiontotheexistingresponsibilitiesof?nanceandaccountingteams.AsrecentlyreportedinTheWallStreetJournal,anincreasinglylargenumberofaccountantsareleavingtheindustryduetoburnout,resultinginagrowingshortageoftheprofessionalsneededtoimplementanddrivetheseinitiatives.“As

MISTRAS

recognizes

our

responsibilityto

serve

as

an

agent

for

positive

changeand

advancement

of

the

Company’sESG

initiatives,

we’re

thrilled

to

become

apilot

customer

for

VL

ESG

StewardTM.

We’veused

Visual

Lease

as

our

system

of

recordfor

our

portfolio

of

facility,

automobile,and

equipment

leases

–and

feel

thatthey

are

well

positioned

to

expand

andprovide

meaningful

value

into

the

complexlandscape

of

ESG

reporting.”Dedicatedtechnologyisprovingtobethemoste?ectivewaytotrackESGmetrics–

includingdatapointsthatrangefromsustainabilityandcarbonconsumptiontothebusinesses’diversityandbroadersocialimpact–whilesimultaneouslycreatinge?ciencies,allowing?nanceandaccountingprofessionalstostreamlinemanualtasksandfocusonmorestrategice?orts.Embracingpurpose-builtsolutionswillprovidetheO?ceofFinanceandtheirorganizationswithastrategicadvantageovercompetitorsastheygainvaluabletimeandaclearandcomprehensiveunderstandingoftheirongoingprogressagainstthesegoalsinreal-time.-ThomasTobolski,Treasurer,MISTRASGroup,Inc.LearnmoreaboutVLESGStewardTM>102024O?ceofFinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpactReportingConclusion:

Selecting

the

Right

Fintech

Platform

to

SupportEnvironmental

Impact

Reporting

Needs

in

2024Whiletherearebene?tstolivingthroughatechnologyrevolution,agrowingabundanceofoptionscancreatechallengesfortheO?ceofFinancewhenlookingtoidentifyasolutiontosupportitsenvironmentalreportinge?orts.Surveyedsenioraccountingand?nanceprofessionalshaveprioritizedthefollowingcriteriaforselectingnew?ntech:Supportscollaborationamongcross-functionalteams(23%)Becausesomanydi?erentdepartmentsandindividualsinteractwithleases,itiscriticaltoprioritizeacentralizedsystemofrecordthatwillenablecross-functionalaccessandcollaboration,creatinge?cienciesalongtheway.VisualLeasehasempoweredIndeed’sglobalaccountingteamtostandardizethewayinwhichtheydotheirleaseaccountingacrossalloftheirof?ces,reducingthenumberofindividualsrequiredtoachieveandmaintaincompliance.Thisisabigfocusareaformanycompaniesaslessthan40%ofsurveyedsenior?nanceandaccountingprofessionalsreportedthattheyarecompletelycollaborativewiththeteamthatmanagestheircompany’scommercialrealestateleases.LearnmoreaboutIndeed’sexperience>Abilitytoaddressmorethanonebusinessneed(23%)Selectingasolutionthato?ersarobustleasecontrolsframeworkwillenableorganizationstoachieveaclearunderstandingoftheirleaserecords,helpingthemtoeasilymaintainleaseaccountingcompliance,minimizetheriskofinaccurate?nancialreportingandfailedaudits,identifycost-savingopportunitiesandsuccessfullyprepareforthenewinternationalsustainabilitystandards.112024O?ceofFinanceOutlook:EnvironmentalImpactReportingStronguserreviewsandcustomersentiment(21%)Choosingaproviderwitha?rst-moveradvantageinthespeci?cspaceyou’relookingtotrackandreportcanbebene?cialasthesecompanieswilltypicallyhavesolutionsthatareaheadofthecurve,adaptableandbuiltfromvaluableinputandlessonslearnedfromearlyadopters.Strongcustomersupportmodel(18%)Strongcustomersupportensuresthatanyproblemsorissuesencounteredwillbeaddressedpromptly,minimizingdowntime.Optingforaproviderthatmakesitsproductroadmapavailabletoitsusersando?ersservicesthataligntosupportitwilltranslateCompasstakesitsleaseportfoliodatafromtheVisualLeaseplatformintoamoresuccessfuladoptionoftheplatform’sfullcapabilitiesatyourorganization.andmarriesitwithitsbusinessdatainaproprietarydatavisualizationtool,allowingthemtomakeholisticdecisionsandkeepitsorganizationuptodateonportfoliochanges.Provenabilitytointegratewithexistingsystems(16%)Byprioritizingsolutionswithstrongintegrationcapabilities,accountingand?nanceteamscanmaketheirentire?ntechstackworktogether,furtherincreasingtheirROI.LearnmoreaboutVL’sIntegrationcapabilities>Theroleandsigni?canceoftheOf?ceofFin