DFIN's Inaugural ESG Pulse Report Reveals Companies Unprepared for Reporting Changes

CHICAGO, Feb. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The inaugural DFIN ESG Pulse Report, released today by Donnelley Financial Solutions (NYSE: DFIN), a leading risk and compliance company, found that more than 90 percent of business leaders surveyed believe that Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues are a moral and financial imperative but are unprepared for the upcoming reporting requirement changes from entities like the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The report was commissioned by DFIN and conducted by Morning Consult and leverages DFIN's deep ESG expertise as a provider of ESG solutions to public and private companies. Key ESG decision-makers were surveyed to assess focus, change, responsibility, and collaboration across finance, HR, and marketing/communication professionals in the U.S. and U.K. markets.  

According to the report, executives find the current ESG reporting too burdensome (90 percent) and say they need assistance from third parties (80 percent). However, while there has been an increase of ESG focus, traction, and investment over the past two years, an even greater proportion (75 percent) believe that ESG reporting will increase further in the next three years.

Other Key Highlights from the Pulse Report

• Plans for Reporting: While stakeholders do believe that reporting leads to better decision-making and transparency, many are unsure where to begin and will seek outside support in the coming year.
• Collaboration is Key: More than 80 percent of decision-makers who partner with third-party firms, like DFIN, to help with their ESG-related needs for technology, legal services, and consulting, found them critical to "driving organizational priorities."
• ESG Experts: 69 percent of business leaders considered themselves to be ESG experts and the survey showed multiple departments are involved in the process with key stakeholders being HR, finance, marketing, legal, communications and investor relations.
• Eye on ESG: Teams most involved in ESG initiatives are confident about social practices and issues like inclusivity, health, safety, and diversity. Other topics like energy efficiency, carbon emissions, data protection, and security will take precedence in the next three years.

"The global ESG market outlook has gained significant traction in the past few years—and it's still on the rise," said Craig Clay, president of Global Capital Markets at DFIN. "Business leaders are increasingly seeking expertise, insights, and solutions to help them make informed decisions as they are developing their ESG plans and strategies. The DFIN ESG Pulse report provides our clients with the right information to better understand and gauge the ESG market, execute successfully in the ESG space, and report on those outcomes." 

The full ESG Pulse Report is available for download on the DFIN website at https://www.dfinsolutions.com/products/esg#pulse

About Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN)

DFIN is a leading global risk and compliance solutions company. We provide domain expertise, enterprise software and data analytics for every stage of our clients' business and investment lifecycles. Markets fluctuate, regulations evolve, technology advances, and through it all, DFIN delivers confidence with the right solutions in moments that matter. Learn about DFIN's end-to-end risk and compliance solutions online at www.DFINsolutions.com or you can also follow us on Twitter @DFINSolutions or on LinkedIn.

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SOURCE Donnelley Financial Solutions