THE PRINCE OF Wales has launched a leadership network for CFOs from some of the leading businesses across Europe.
Established by the The Prince of Wales’ Accounting for Sustainability Project the aim of the network is to embed environmental and social issues into company strategy and finance.
The Chief Financial Officer Leadership Network is the first grouping of its kind to focus on the role CFOs play in integrating environmental and social issues into financial decision making. There is a growing commercial imperative for businesses to take these factors into account if they are to future-proof their organisations; and there is now clear evidence that companies which address environmental and social issues deliver improved commercial returns.
The Network was launched at the eighth A4S Annual Forum on 12th December. His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales has welcomed the formation of the network. The Prince said: “C.F.O.s have a vital role to play in making sure their businesses thrive, not just today, but tomorrow and into the future. The bottom line is that sustainable business equals good business. I am therefore delighted that the A4S Chief Financial Officer Leadership Network will play a key role not only in communicating why sustainability makes business sense, but how to start accounting for it. Our children and grandchildren are depending on it.”
At the launch, the A4S Executive Chairman, Jessica Fries, chaired a panel discussion featuring the A4S CFO Leadership Network Co-Chairs, John Rogers (CFO, Sainsbury’s) and Pierre-André Terisse (CFO, Danone) and Network member Rolf-Dieter Schwalb, CFO, Royal DSM.
Member organisations joining the Network are: Anglian Water, BUPA, Burberry Group, British Land, The Crown Estate, Danone, Royal DSM, Marks & Spencer, National Grid, Sainsbury’s, SSE, South West Water, Unilever, United Utilities, Walmart EMEA and Yorkshire Water.
John Rogers, Co-Chair of the A4S CFO Leadership Network and CFO of Sainsbury’s said: “HRH The Prince of Wales has rightly recognised the vital importance of bringing sustainability issues into the very heart of corporate governance and accounting. What used to be seen as green wash needs to become as natural to company finance teams as it is to CR departments or even NGOs. I’m pleased to be co-chairing this significant new initiative and urge my counterparts in business and public organisations to contribute their skills and experience to the A4S CFO Leadership Network.”
The Network will be extended globally during the course of 2014.