{"id":1305,"date":"2022-06-20T22:14:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-21T03:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/?post_type=perspective&#038;p=1305"},"modified":"2025-07-03T09:44:49","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T14:44:49","slug":"gasb-highlights-existing-mechanisms-for-esg-related-disclosures","status":"publish","type":"perspective","link":"https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/perspective\/gasb-highlights-existing-mechanisms-for-esg-related-disclosures\/","title":{"rendered":"What GASB\u2019s ESG Guidance Means for Your Government"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Executive Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The GASB has launched their first initiative to establish and introduce guidelines for ESG-related disclosures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The GASB has released an <a href=\"https:\/\/gasb.org\/Page\/ShowPdf?path=ESG%20Memo%20FINAL%2005312022.pdf&amp;title=May%2031,%202022%E2%80%94Intersection%20of%20Environmental,%20Social,%20and%20Governance%20Matters%20with%20Governmental%20Accounting%20Standards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interpretation of its existing standards to help government entities further enhance ESG-related disclosures.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We can expect that ESG-related disclosures will shift from voluntary guidance to mandatory reporting at some point.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Reporting and disclosure of environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related information has long been a priority in the private sector and is now emerging as a key area of focus for state and local governments (or \u201cgovernment entities\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In response to interested parties seeking more ESG-related information (e.g., investors, credit rating agencies, preparers and auditors of financial statements, citizens, policymakers, etc.) from government entities, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has released a publication to clarify how ESG-related information intersects with their existing standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bottom line: GASB\u2019s stakeholders and interested parties are seeking to understand the impacts of ESG-related matters on a government entity\u2019s cash flows, financial position, and overall responsibility for fiscal accountability \u2014 and the publication can be seen as a form of interpretive guidance to bridge the gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s Inside the Publication?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>GASB\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/gasb.org\/Page\/ShowPdf?path=ESG%20Memo%20FINAL%2005312022.pdf&amp;title=May%2031,%202022%E2%80%94Intersection%20of%20Environmental,%20Social,%20and%20Governance%20Matters%20with%20Governmental%20Accounting%20Standards\">Intersection of Environmental, Social, and Governance Matters with Governmental Accounting Standards<\/a>\u201d document was released on May 31, 2022, and it provides clear examples for government entities to make new, or enhance existing, ESG-related disclosures by leveraging their current standards and principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Up front, the publication acknowledges that \u201ca single consistent definition of ESG is not prevalent in practice today.\u201d However, broad examples are included in the publication for each pillar (note, the below list has been shortened for purposes of this article):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Capture-1.webp 635w,https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Capture-1-412x164.webp 412w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Capture-1.png\" height=\"252\" width=\"635\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Capture-1.png 635w, https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Capture-1-412x164.png 412w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" class=\"wp-image-1414 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width:864px;height:auto\"  > <\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The interpretive portion of the publication goes on to assist government entities with detailed examples of how ESG-related information coincides with the current GASB standards (note, the below are 3 of 25 total examples from the publication):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Capture-2.webp 634w,https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Capture-2-295x239.webp 295w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Capture-2.png\" height=\"513\" width=\"634\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Capture-2.png 634w, https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Capture-2-295x239.png 295w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px\" class=\"wp-image-1415 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"width:864px;height:auto\"  > <\/picture><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why This GASB Release Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In publishing this document, GASB is taking a traditional first step to introduce concepts and guidelines that set a foundation ahead for new reporting and disclosure rules in the future (also referred to as \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sec.gov\/news\/press\/2010\/2010-15.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interpretive guidance<\/a>\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is not the first time a regulator or standard setter has issued interpretive guidance specific to ESG. In 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released their own interpretive guidance to provide clarity to the private sector on how to leverage existing financial reports to make disclosures related to climate change. While it was uncertain how many companies would incorporate climate-related information in their financial reports, many chose to do so (at last count by the SEC in 2020, 33% of the 6,644 filings submitted to the regulator contained some form of climate-related disclosure). The interpretive guidance, therefore, laid the groundwork for a <a href=\"https:\/\/oldmgo.drinkcaffeine.com\/article\/sec-climate-disclosure-proposal-charting-the-path-forward\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new climate-related proposal issued by the SEC in March 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Essentially, interpretive guidance has historically preceded the release of new, formal guidance and the creation of new standards. If this proves true in the public sector, then we will first see an increase from state and local governments enhancing their existing financial reports and disclosures by incorporating ESG-related information. Subsequently, and after further analysis by GASB of those enhanced disclosures, we will likely see the release of a new ESG-specific standard from GASB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Increasing the Pressure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As demand for ESG-related disclosures increases, pressure will also increase on governments to begin providing or enhancing the disclosures in their financial reports. Further, if your entity issues securities (e.g., municipal bonds), you may encounter pressure from credit rating agencies depending on your approach (or lack thereof) to disclose and address ESG-related risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At present, ESG-related disclosures are contingent on a variety of factors (including but not limited to the government entity\u2019s location, the historical or anticipated impacts of climate change, the level of ambition to become a leader in ESG-related reporting, etc.), but at some point these disclosures will shift from <strong>voluntary to mandatory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How MGO Can Help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many state and local governments have proactively disclosed ESG-related information on their websites or in standalone ESG \/ sustainability reports; however, GASB\u2019s interpretive guidance demonstrates that ESG-information also needs to be considered when preparing your annual financial reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To stay ahead, MGO is helping the public sector as well as the private sector, develop and enhance their ESG disclosure strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are interested in learning more, schedule a conversation with our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/solution-and-industry\/environmental-social-and-governance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ESG team<\/a> today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Executive Summary: Reporting and disclosure of environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related information has long been a priority in the private sector and is now emerging as a key area of focus for state and local governments (or \u201cgovernment entities\u201d). In response to interested parties seeking more ESG-related information (e.g., investors, credit rating agencies, preparers and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1306,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"perspective_topic":[140,130,220,113],"perspective-type":[42],"class_list":["post-1305","perspective","type-perspective","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","perspective_topic-esg","perspective_topic-gasb","perspective_topic-management-advisory","perspective_topic-state-and-local-government","perspective-type-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What GASB\u2019s ESG Guidance Means for Your Government - MGO CPA | Tax, Audit, and Consulting Services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"GASB highlights how existing financial reporting tools can support ESG-related disclosures for improved transparency in government entities.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mgocpa.com\/perspective\/gasb-highlights-existing-mechanisms-for-esg-related-disclosures\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What GASB\u2019s ESG Guidance Means for Your Government - 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