Dr. Klaus Wirbel
In the future, banks and investors will focus more strongly on environmental, social and governance criteria alongside a company’s financial and risk profile. Corporate treasuries have a strategic role to play in this transformation, and the role of the treasurer needs to be developed so that these new aspects can be incorporated into financing. In future, treasurers will deal with sustainable development and develop new working methods and approaches to ESG issues. Because of the treasury’s links to all of a company’s divisions, it is well positioned to play a key role. Corporate treasuries will become catalysts for change in this development process and hence will require the necessary expertise. An understanding of sustainability-related opportunities and risks, and being able to handle sustainability-related company information, are important aspects of this. Executive and supervisory boards will also need this knowledge in order for them to adjust supervision and risk management accordingly.