On 31st January 2022, the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) was consolidated into the IFRS Foundation to support the work of the newly established International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). While this site and its resources remain relevant for preparers looking to improve sustainability disclosure until such time as the ISSB issues its IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards on such topics, no further work or guidance will be produced or published by CDSB. For further information please visit the IFRS website.

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by Mardi McBrien

Gordon Wilson hands the technical leadership to CDSB Founding Director

It is with a mixture of gratitude and sadness that I announce that Gordon Wilson (PwC), Chairman of the Technical Working Group of the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) has passed his role to CDSB’s founding director Lois Guthrie, (WBCSD).

Written by Mardi McBrien

During Gordon’s eight year tenure CDSB experienced significant growth and progress to achieve its ambition of advancing the integration of climate change and natural capital information into mainstream corporate reporting. CDSB is pleased that he will remain involved in CDSB’s work as a member of the Technical Working Group.

As a great pioneer in sustainability reporting, Gordon led the development of the initial Climate Change Reporting Framework, taking forward two more framework developments  and, ultimately, CDSB’s technical expansion into natural capital, covering the “E” of ESG. He steered a group of interested parties globally, breaking new ground and debating early non-financial reporting challenges such as boundaries and material climate-related financial risk and opportunities that paved the way for the principles and requirements adopted in the TCFD Recommendations. 

 “…I am absolutely  delighted to hand over my role to Lois Guthrie. Lois and I have worked closely together for nearly 10 years from developing the first Climate Change Reporting Framework (CCRF 1.0)… to the present day and all the tremendous work that the current team are producing. I look forward to continuing to serve on the Technical Working Group and to actively participate in the continuing work of CDSB,” comments Gordon Wilson. 

CDSB comes full circle with the end of Gordon’s tenure and I are proud that Lois Guthrie will succeed Gordon as chair. Lois, current Director of Refining Value at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, is the Founding Director of the CDSB and joined in 2004 after a career in international taxation and social security at PwC and Zurich Insurance Group. 

With climate-related disclosures becoming more mainstream and increased support for the guidelines set out by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) globally, Lois’ vast experience shaping the climate-related and natural capital reporting landscape will be pivotal to our continued success. It is important to us to further the implementation of the TCFD recommendations by ensuring that our non-financial reporting framework aligns effectively with and supports the needs and challenges of those who use it most; the report preparers. We will also continue our work in advancing natural capital reporting to provide a more complete picture of corporate performance to investors.

With support from the CDSB Secretariat, the Technical Working Group are responsible for refreshing the CDSB Reporting Framework and creating the enabling environment for adoption of the Framework by companies, investors and regulators.

Thanks to Gordon’s contributions he passes on his role when CDSB in a strong and stable position, at a time where the financial impact of climate change has never been so prominent. I sincerely thank him for his contribution and leadership as Chairman of the Technical Working Group. 

Mardi McBrien is the Managing Director of the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB).