Conducted by CFO Research, study finds that regulatory compliance, energy
efficiency/carbon footprint and 'greening' operations top CFOs' priorities
in sustainability
NEW YORK, March 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In the first in-depth
study of its kind, CFOs and other senior finance executives overwhelmingly
report that environmental sustainability is an increasingly important issue
for their companies, and that a range of significant financial benefits are
achievable for companies that can implement strategies that truly reduce
their impact on the environment.
Conducted by CFO Research in collaboration with leading global
commercial real estate and money management firm Jones Lang LaSalle, the
study surveyed 175 corporate CFOs and senior finance executives. Among the
key findings of the report:
* More than half of finance executives believe their companies are "very
likely" or "somewhat likely" to increase revenue, reduce operating
costs, improve investor returns and shareholder value, and improve
employee retention through sustainability. The most often cited
benefits were reduced risk ("very" or "somewhat" likely to produce
benefits at 78% of companies), enhanced brand and reputation (77%),
customer retention (72%), and improved employee health and productivity
(68%).
* The highest priority objectives in corporate sustainability are
regulatory compliance (ranked as a high priority for 61% and a mid-level
priority for 26% of respondents), improving energy efficiency and
reducing greenhouse gas emissions (a high priority for 47%, mid-level
for 32%), and reducing the environmental impact of operations (45% and
32%).
* The greatest barriers to incorporating sustainability into financial
strategy include the inability to measure the effects of sustainability
on shareholder value (ranked among the top three challenges by 46% of
respondents), inability to document the effects on financial performance
(37%), and a lack of standard decision-making frameworks that consider
environmental factors (36%). The least significant challenge was
organization resistance, ranked among the top three barriers by just 20%
of respondents.
Although most finance executives acknowledged that their own role in
driving sustainability was limited, the survey results point to a
tremendous opportunity for CFOs to guide their companies to sustainable
strategies that bring financial success, according to Lauralee Martin,
Global Chief Operating and Financial Officer at Jones Lang LaSalle.
"Most CFOs believe sustainability can lead to cost savings, increased
revenues, greater customer retention and a competitive advantage, so
clearly this is an opportunity that can not be ignored," Ms. Martin said.
"The question each of us should ask is whether we are taking an aggressive
enough position, given the rapidly approaching tipping point of this
issue."
"At Jones Lang LaSalle, we are pursuing ways to make our own operations
more sustainable, but our biggest opportunity to make an impact is to help
our clients -- the owners and users of real estate -- in making their
buildings more sustainable, lowering their energy costs and reducing their
carbon footprint," said Dan Probst, Chairman of the Global Environmental
Sustainability Board at Jones Lang LaSalle.
In 2007, Jones Lang LaSalle helped corporations reduce energy usage by
210 million kilowatt-hours, saving $38 million in energy costs and reducing
greenhouse gas emissions by 133,000 metric tons. The firm provides more
than 11,000 properties with specialized energy services, manages 27
buildings that received Energy Star certification in 2008, and has 40
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) registered project
under way totaling more than 25 million square feet.
About the Study
CFO Research, in collaboration with Jones Lang LaSalle, surveyed 175
senior finance executives and conducted in-depth interviews with executives
at several firms leading the way in sustainability, including Bank of
America and Herman Miller. Results are detailed in "The Role of Finance in
Environmental Sustainability Efforts," a report available by request from
Jones Lang LaSalle. Lauralee Martin, Global Chief Operating and Financial
Officer at Jones Lang LaSalle, also discusses highlights of the study on
March 26 at The CFO Green Conference, an exclusive gathering of senior
finance executives held at Barclay Intercontinental Hotel in New York City.
About Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL), the only real estate money management
and services firm named to Forbes magazine's "400 Best Big Companies" for
three consecutive years, has approximately 170 offices worldwide and
operates in more than 700 cities in over 60 countries. With 2007 revenue of
$2.7 billion, the company provides comprehensive integrated real estate and
investment management expertise on a local, regional and global level to
owner, occupier and investor clients. Jones Lang LaSalle is an industry
leader in property and corporate facility management services, with a
portfolio of approximately 1.2 billion square feet worldwide. LaSalle
Investment Management, the company's investment management business, is one
of the world's largest and most diverse real estate money management firms,
with approximately $49.7 billion of assets under management. For further
information, please visit our Web site, http://www.joneslanglasalle.com.
SOURCE Jones Lang LaSalle
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Related links:
http://www.joneslanglasalle.com
CONTACT:
Craig Bloomfield of Jones Lang LaSalle,
+1-312-228-2774, craig.bloomfield@am.jll.com
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