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ESG: The next hundred-year flood

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“Hundred-year floods” are usually bad things; to the layman, it means the kind of flood that’s so extreme it only happens once a century, while to hydrologists and engineers, it means a type that only has a 1% chance of occurring (but definitely doesn’t have to wait a hundred years before it can happen again — you can have 10 in a row, or go for 500 years without one; every year the chance remains 1% that you’ll have another).

Either way, a real hundred-year flood means disaster.

In accounting, though, hundred-year floods have actually turned out pretty well. Just over a hundred years ago, in 1913, the introduction of the federal income tax created a huge demand for the tax preparation services that are practically synonymous with the modern profession. And just under a hundred years ago, laws passed in 1933 and 1934 in the aftermath of the stock market crash that launched the Great Depression mandated the second of the profession’s primary offerings — the public company audit.

Rather than rising waters and widespread devastation, both developments created floods of work that CPAs have been trying to stay abreast of ever since, and while the field has seen some inundations of new work in the hundred or so years since (the high waterline of Y2k work in the late 1990s, for instance, and the flash flood of implementing Sarbanes-Oxley after 2002), nothing that’s come along has come close to those two early 20th century deluges — until now.

Environmental social governance (ESG) text on wooden signpost outdoors in nature

jon anders wiken/Jon Anders Wiken – stock.adobe.com

We’re at the start of accounting’s next hundred-year flood, and it’s all about environmental, social and governance work. Recent explorations of ESG rules at the Securities and Exchange Commission, in California, and in the European Union are just the first tricklings of what’s going to become a flood of mandates for companies everywhere to report on the impact they have on the world around them — and they’re all going to need help setting up their reporting systems, and then proving that those systems are accurate going forward. Over the next decade, the scale of the need for these services will grow to at least match that for financial audits, and could potentially be much, much larger.

This is work accountants were practically born to do. Some will object that the profession has no experience in reporting environmental issues — but neither does anyone else. What accountants do have is expertise in creating reporting systems, and assessing the accuracy and reliability of the output of those systems. This market is the profession’s to lose — but other players have their eye on it, and it won’t wait for accountants to make up their mind.

It may seem odd to look forward to a massive flood, but now is the time for accountants to start channeling the growing streams their way, and to stake a claim to the rising waters. At the very least it’ll keep the profession occupied until whatever arises in the 2120s … .

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Accounting

The Importance of Backing Up Bookkeeping Data

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Importance of Backing Up Bookkeeping Data

Protecting Your Business’s Financial Lifeline

In today’s digital business environment, backing up bookkeeping data is not just a good practice—it’s a critical part of financial management. Your financial records are among your company’s most valuable assets. Losing them can lead to serious consequences, from lost revenue and legal penalties to a complete breakdown of operations. Whether you’re a small business owner or a large enterprise, understanding the importance of data backup in bookkeeping can save you from irreversible damage.

Why Financial Data Backup Matters

Financial data backup is essential because data loss can happen at any time. It can come from hardware failures, cyberattacks, software crashes, natural disasters, or even simple human mistakes. One accidental deletion or system crash could wipe out years of financial records, including invoices, receipts, tax filings, payroll data, and customer information. Without a solid backup plan, restoring that information can be impossible, leading to compliance violations and major setbacks.

Business Continuity and Bookkeeping Reliability

One of the main goals of any data backup strategy is business continuity. When your financial information is backed up and easily restorable, your business can continue to function even after an unexpected event. This minimizes downtime and ensures your bookkeeping stays accurate and up to date. Whether you face a cyberattack or a flood, a reliable backup ensures you can access your critical financial records and get back on track quickly.

Follow the 3-2-1 Backup Rule

A best practice for data backup is the 3-2-1 rule, which stands for:

  • 3 copies of your data (one primary and two backups)
  • 2 different types of media (for example, a computer hard drive and an external USB drive)
  • 1 copy stored off-site, such as in a secure cloud-based system

This approach protects your financial data from all types of risks, including physical theft or natural disasters that could destroy all on-site backups.

Use Cloud Backup Solutions

Modern cloud accounting software like QuickBooks Online, Xero, and FreshBooks often include automatic data backup features. These platforms store your information in secure, off-site servers and regularly update your data in real time. While this offers a great layer of protection, businesses should still maintain independent backups—either through cloud storage providers like Google Drive or Dropbox or through physical external drives.

Automate Your Backup Schedule

To avoid the risk of forgetting manual backups, it’s smart to set up automated backup schedules. Most businesses benefit from:

  • Daily incremental backups (to capture changes made each day)
  • Weekly full backups (to maintain a complete and up-to-date copy)

Additionally, consider making extra backups after major financial activities, such as closing the month or completing annual reports. This ensures that your most important financial data is stored securely at critical checkpoints.

Test Your Backup Systems Regularly

Backing up your data is only half the job. The other half is making sure you can successfully restore it when needed. Many businesses make the mistake of assuming their backup systems work, only to discover too late that their files are corrupted or inaccessible. Set a quarterly schedule to test your backup restoration process. Restore files in a test environment and make sure they are complete, accurate, and usable.

Keep Backup Data Secure

Your financial data contains sensitive business information, including banking details, employee records, and customer data. This means your backup system must be just as secure as your main systems. Use strong encryption, require password protection, and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your cloud accounts. Make sure that only authorized personnel have access to backup files, and regularly audit access permissions.

Store Physical Backups Off-Site

If you use external hard drives or USB devices for backup, store at least one copy off-site. Keeping all backups in the same location exposes your data to risks like fires, floods, or theft. Consider storing a copy at a trusted partner’s office, a secure storage facility, or even using a backup vaulting service.

Stay Compliant with Legal and Tax Requirements

In many industries, financial records must be retained for several years to meet legal and tax obligations. Failing to back up your bookkeeping data can result in penalties during audits or investigations. Keeping reliable backups helps you meet these requirements, providing a digital paper trail of your financial activities.

Make Backup Part of Your Financial Strategy

Treat your bookkeeping backup system as an essential part of your business strategy. It’s not just about preventing disaster—it’s about preserving your financial history, supporting compliance, and keeping your business running smoothly. Regular data backups give you peace of mind and a safety net to fall back on when the unexpected happens.

Conclusion: Backup for Long-Term Success

Backing up your bookkeeping data is one of the smartest moves you can make to protect your business. With cyber threats rising and unexpected issues always a possibility, a strong data backup system ensures your financial records are always safe, accessible, and intact. By following best practices like the 3-2-1 rule, automating schedules, securing your data, and regularly testing your system, you build a reliable foundation for your financial operations. Make data backup a non-negotiable part of your bookkeeping routine, and you’ll be well-prepared for whatever challenges come your way.

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Accounting

13 firms combine to form Sorren

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Thirteen accounting firms have united to form Sorren, a national firm backed by private equity firm DFW Capital Partners that will have over a thousand employees and 20 offices across the country.

Operating in an alternative practice structure as Sorren CPAs PC for attest services and Sorren Inc. for business advisory and non-attest services, the combined firms have 85 partners and approximately $170 million in revenue, with plans to add more firms going forwards.

Many of the founding firms met as members of the BDO Alliance, and their leaders had gotten to know one another as attendees at alliance meetings and managing partner roundtables, according to Josh Tyree, the president of Sorren, who was previously president of Harris CPAs, an Idaho-based firm that was the first of the group to go the PE route, signing up with DFW in January 2024.

Sorren's headquarters in Boise, Idaho

Sorren’s headquarters in Boise, Idaho

“Harris had started looking at that process with DFW for a good chunk of 2023,” Tyree recalled, “and I remember we were having a managing partner roundtable meeting in Nashville that year in the fall, and they were all there and I raised my hand after two hours of talking about PE and I said, ‘Hey guys, I think I’m going to jump in feet first and you guys should all come and join us.'”

And they did — with individual firms joining up with DFW over the course of 2024, and a large group in January 2025.

“There was a level of comfort,” he explained. “We knew all of our firms and our people and what we do and how we do it because we’d shared so much information over the years.”

Apart from Harris, the other firms currently comprising Sorren are:

  • Acuity (Georgia);
  • Aycock & Co. (Texas);
  • Capital Nomics Valuations (California);
  • Chigbrow Ryan Murata (Idaho);
  • Hoerber Tillman & Co. (Florida);
  • JRJBF (Illinois);
  • KDP Advisors (Oregon);
  • KMA Advisors (Wisconsin);
  • Pisenti & Brinker (California);
  • Roeser Accountancy (California).
  • SBF Advisors (Florida);
  • Stockman Kast Ryan & Co. (Colorado).

Allan Koltin, CEO of Koltin Consulting Group, said in a statement, “What makes Sorren stand out is the way these firms came together — with intention, shared values, and a commitment to staying deeply connected to their local markets. This group didn’t just merge for size; they united around a common purpose. It’s a blueprint for how innovative firms can grow, while staying true to who they are.”

Tyree-Josh-Sorren

Josh Tyree

The firms all have a strong focus on small and middle-market businesses and nonprofits that want a local firm feel and relationship, even if they need services across the country. As it adds new firms, Sorren will prioritizing those that are a fit with their current culture.

“If we go into another region, we want to start with leadership and good people; we’re not just randomly going out to try and find any firm that meets [a client need],” Tyree explained. “It really has to fit our culture and it has to have a leader in that area for us to go into that services.”

He also made the point that Sorren is still very much a work in progress — relying on current firm expertise to build national practices in tax, assurance, CAS and advisory.

“One goal when we originally started was we wanted to get to enough mass size that we could really start to build this by using leadership from and talent from all the firms that came on board,” Tyree said.

“It’s going to be super fun, but it’s a lot of work,” he added. “If all you’re looking to do is do a rollup or something like that, that’s probably not our style. We’re trying to create this for our type of client and our type of cultures. And we think there’s a little void there where we can do it.”

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Trump’s ex-IRS commissioner pushes back on Harvard tax attack

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Donald Trump’s promise to strip Harvard University of its tax-exempt status prompted criticism Friday from a former Internal Revenue Service commissioner in the president’s first term, who said the process would take years and need a judge’s approval. 

“The IRS will not allow itself to be weaponized,” former IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg News. Rettig, who oversaw the agency from 2018 to 2022, was asked to respond to Trump’s social media post early Friday that said: “We are going to be taking away Harvard’s Tax Exempt Status. It’s what they deserve!” 

Trump made the announcement after weeks of threatening a change to the school’s tax-exempt treatment, stepping up his attack on the Ivy League school.

Federal criminal law bars President Trump or the vice president from ordering the IRS to punish his political opponents or reward his allies. Rettig said the Treasury Department’s Inspector General for Tax Administration “closely monitors and investigates efforts to possibly influence IRS operations.”

The IRS cannot take any action on an organization’s tax-exempt status “without conducting an appropriate examination that would provide relevant information objectively supporting such an action,” Rettig said. “The IRS does not and should not conduct a ‘fishing expedition’ designed to hopefully uncover a relevant issue.” 

Organizations also have administrative and judicial appeal rights that can take years to resolve before a federal judge approves a change in tax-exempt status, he said. “Throughout that process, there are many opportunities for resolution that would not result in the removal of the tax-exempt status of an organization,” he wrote. 

Trump’s fight with Harvard escalated after it rejected his administration’s demands to reform campus policies to combat antisemitism and promote viewpoint diversity. The administration has frozen $2.2 billion in funding that supported projects including ALS and tuberculosis research. 

On April 21, Harvard sued the U.S., claiming the funding freeze violated its free speech rights, and the government cannot dictate what it teaches, who it hires, and which students it admits. 

In Trump’s second term, four people have held the IRS commissioner’s job on an acting basis.

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