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CDP and GRI sign pact on sustainability reporting

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The Carbon Disclosure Project and the Global Reporting Initiative plan to deepen their collaboration after signing a memorandum of understanding at the United Nations COP29 climate change conference in Azerbaijan.

GRI provides a set of standards for organizations to report their environmental, social and economic impacts, while CDP offers a global disclosure system for companies to measure and manage their environmental impacts. More than 14,000 organizations use the GRI standards while more than 24,800 companies representing over two-thirds of global market capitalization disclose through CDP. Through CDP’s annual questionnaire, companies can report GRI-aligned data to stakeholders and the wider global market, according to the existing collaboration.

Under the new agreement, CDP and GRI intend to build more capacity and streamline disclosures for companies, with the goal of increasing access to comparable data through environmental reporting that reflects the highest ambition. The MoU will help the two organizations make progress on their technical alignment, including a mapping exercise to enhance interoperability and an assessment of CDP’s questionnaire and the GRI Topic Standards for climate change, water and biodiversity.

“For over 25 years, GRI has been a catalyst for organizations to understand and report their impacts, empowering them to unlock sustainable value and bring about positive change,” said GRI interim CEO Cristina Gil White in a statement Thursday. “The synergy with CDP, in terms of our shared ambitions for corporate reporting of environmental impacts to be more comprehensive and effective, is clear to see. As nations are gathered in Baku for crucial talks on how to quicken progress to achieve the Paris Agreement, I am delighted to sign this significant MoU with CDP. I believe the formal collaboration will lead to clarity for businesses and other stakeholders on the alignment between the GRI Standards and CDP’s questionnaire, increasing the ease of reporting in ways that deliver relevant and actionable data.”

GRI interim CEO Cristina Gil White (left) and CDP CEO Sherry Madera

GRI interim CEO Cristina Gil White (left) and CDP CEO Sherry Madera

CDP’s corporate questionnaire already partially aligns with GRI 303: Water & Effluents 2018 and climate-related disclosures in the GRI standards. More mapping and alignment will now be explored with GRI’s forthcoming climate and energy standards (scheduled to be published in Q1 2025), and GRI 101: Biodiversity 2024.

“CDP is proud to strengthen our collaboration with GRI,” said CDP CEO Sherry Madera in a statement. “This agreement will enhance the efficiency of environmental reporting, enabling companies to provide more comparable and actionable data. By disclosing through CDP, companies can disclose GRI-aligned data directly to stakeholders and the wider global market. This is a crucial step in accelerating global climate action and ensuring businesses can meet the highest standards of transparency and accountability.”

Another global ESG standard-setter, the International Sustainability Standards Board, also reported its progress this week, saying that more than 1,000 companies have referenced the board in their reports and 30 jurisdictions are making progress on introducing ISSB standards in their legal or regulatory frameworks. 

Another group, Accountants for Sustainability, also weighed in Thursday on the COP29 conference in Azerbaijan. “The Baku negotiations and announcements will be focused on investment for the transition,” said A4S. “Finance teams will want to look out for initiatives that help unlock private capital for developing nations – e.g. Green Guarantee Group or announcements on/from multilateral banks. Announcements are expected to include a new ‘Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance.’ This will mean agreeing a new commitment to provide annual climate finance to developing countries, replacing a previous goal of $100 billion per annum set in 2009 and met in 2023.”

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Accounting

FASB proposes accounting standards codification changes

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The Financial Accounting Standards Board released a proposed accounting standards update containing a set of targeted improvements to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. 

The amendments in the proposed ASU involve incremental changes to the codification and would affect a wide range of topics. They would apply to all reporting entities within the scope of the affected accounting guidance.

The proposed ASU would address 34 issues, including issues related to:

  • Removing the term “amortized cost” from the Master Glossary;
  • Clarifying the calculation of earnings per share when a loss from continuing operations exists;
  • Clarifying the calculation of the reference amount for beneficial interests;
  • Clarifying the guidance for the transfer of receivables from contracts with customers; and,
  • Clarifying the accounting for certain receivables by not-for-profit entities.

FASB is asking for comments by April 22, 2025.

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Accounting

Ramp announces availability of business and investment accounts for users

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Spend management solution provider Ramp announced the release of Ramp Treasury, which can act as a business or investment account for users. 

Specifically, Ramp Treasury lets businesses store cash in a business account that earns 2.5% interest, or in an investment account with the potential for higher yields, all within the same platform they already use to pay their bills. 

Users can create as many business accounts as they need versus having to juggle multiple accounts and passwords. They can also set a target balance for their Ramp Business Account and top up from their checking account. Upon opening a Ramp Business Account, Ramp will pay users a monthly cash reward, calculated as a percentage of their deposited funds. They begin earning on the first dollar they deposit, and there is no cap to how much they can earn. Earnings are disbursed automatically by Ramp each month. Earnings are paid as cash, versus statement credits or rewards requiring redemption. Instead, the customer can transfer earnings from their Ramp Business Account to be used as cash elsewhere.

Customers can transfer funds in and out of a Ramp Business Account via externally linked commercial or business bank accounts. Funds that are moved may settle as quickly as the same day, but could take as long as five business days. Funds in a Ramp Business Account can be used to pay Ramp statements, Ramp Bill Pay and employee reimbursements. Payments to Ramp statements settle instantly. At this time, the Business Account cannot be used to deposit checks, receive external payments, receive transfers from bank accounts that are not linked to Ramp, or make payments outside of the Ramp platform.

The Ramp Investment Account, meanwhile, allows businesses to invest cash in the Invesco Premier U.S. Government Money Portfolio (FUGXX), a money market fund. Securities products and brokerage services are provided by Apex Clearing Corporation, an SEC-registered broker-dealer. The Investment Account is not a deposit product, not insured by the FDIC, and may lose value.

The launch is part of Ramp’s ambitions to automate more areas of the financial tech stack beyond payments.

“The old treasury playbook meant either constant micromanaging of cash positions and payment dates … or just accepting you’ll lose out on interest. The new playbook is refreshingly simple: let technology do the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to,” said Ramp CEO Eric Glyman. “This is why we created Ramp in the first place. We find every cent you deserve so you can focus on moving your business forward. It’s all about the timeless principle of making every dollar and hour work harder, and go farther.”

While the service acts a lot like a bank account, Ramp is not a bank and therefore is not subject to all the same rules and regulations of a bank (though the accounts are FDIC insured, according to the website). The Business Account is a deposit account offered through First Internet Bank of Indiana, which is the one who provides the bank services. There are no account opening or management fees, no deposit minimums, and no withdrawal restrictions. 

Ramp Treasury allows for unlimited same-day ACH, international wires and domestic wires. It also offers alerts before funds are low or if cash is available to invest. The solution provides support for fully integrated workflows from beginning to end, meaning that cash transfers and earnings automatically sync with a connected ERP system and get categorized in the correct general ledger accounts. The security features allow only authorized people to transfer or release money, and the software provides a comprehensive audit trail. Ramp also makes Ramp for Accounting Firms.

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Accounting

FinQuery announces new CEO, COO, executive chairman

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Accounting and contract management solutions provider FinQuery announced a major reshuffle of its executive team, including a new CEO, COO and executive chairman. Joe Schab—the president and chief operating officer—has been appointed to the role of chief executive officer, effective immediately. 

“It’s an honor to be appointed CEO of FinQuery,” said Schab. “I’m incredibly proud of the positive impact we’ve made on our customers, helping them simplify complex accounting processes and gain unparalleled visibility into their committed spend. I’m eager to continue building on this success and deliver even more impactful solutions that meet their evolving needs.”

Meanwhile, George Azih, founder and now-former CEO, will transition to the role of founder and executive chairman, where he will continue to provide strategic guidance and support the company’s growth.

“Joe has been an invaluable partner in building FinQuery into the successful company it is today,” said Azih. “A deep understanding of the technology industry coupled with his strategic vision and operational expertise make him the ideal leader to guide FinQuery through its next phase of growth. I am confident that under Joe’s leadership, FinQuery will continue to innovate and deliver exceptional value to our customers.”

In addition to Schab’s promotion, FinQuery also announced the promotion of Justin Smith from chief financial officer to both CFO and COO. Smith will assume responsibility for overseeing the company’s financial and operational performance. It is unknown who the replacement CEO will be. 

Overall, according to Azih, these changeups in the leadership reflect a natural evolution in people’s roles through the years. 

“This transition is about aligning titles with the roles that have already been shaping FinQuery’s success,” he said. “Joe has been serving as president and COO for several years, playing a pivotal role in driving our strategy and operations. His promotion to CEO is a natural evolution, recognizing his outstanding leadership and vision. Similarly, Justin’s move into the dual roles of CFO and COO reflects how closely these two functions have become aligned in recent years, as we prioritize both financial strategy and operational excellence to deliver greater value to our customers. As I step into the role of executive chairman, my focus will remain on guiding FinQuery’s strategic vision while empowering this exceptional team to continue simplifying complex accounting processes for our customers.” 

FinQuery, formerly LeaseQuery, has spent the last few years growing well beyond its original focus on lease accounting, prompting a rebrand early last year. The transition to FinQuery mirrors the company’s expanded vision toward providing comprehensive financial solutions. While lease accounting software remains a core part of its offering, FinQuery represents a more holistic approach to financial management. To this end, the company recently released a prepaid and accrual accounting solution as well as a contract management solution.

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