CFOs rank provide chain disruptions, the expertise scarcity and tax reform as increased dangers than COVID-19, in keeping with a latest survey from BDO USA.
The agency’s 2022 Center-Market CFO Survey discovered that 84% of the 600 CFOs polled final October noticed provide chain disruption as both a major or average danger, 79% ranked the expertise scarcity as a major or average danger, and 79% ranked extra tax reform as a major or average danger, whereas 78% ranked a possible COVID1-19 resurgence as a major or average danger.
The findings come as companies have realized to regulate their operations to the pandemic, though they’re nonetheless feeling constraints by provide chain disruptions and labor shortages, whereas remaining unsure about any doable adjustments in tax coverage.
“Whereas the financial system is recovering, that restoration is uneven and extremely correlated with firm dimension and sector,” mentioned the report. “Wanting throughout all sectors, solely 38% of companies are at the moment experiencing robust progress … That’s considerably decrease than predicted: 62% of CFOs polled in our 2021 survey believed their enterprise can be thriving by this time. However with the only exception of the well being care sector, lower than half of respondents in each business described their enterprise as thriving at the moment. Each business — together with well being care — underperformed relative to final 12 months’s expectations.”
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Picture: Richard Falco
The survey additionally regarded on the rising prevalence of environmental, social and governance points, and located that just about two-thirds (64%) of the CFOs polled imagine implementing an ESG program will enhance their long-term monetary efficiency.
“ESG is the way forward for enterprise,” mentioned Christopher Tower, ESG technique and companies chief at BDO, within the report. “Those that don’t embrace it will likely be left behind. For CFOs used to creating choices based mostly on a standard cost-benefit evaluation, this transition would require a major mindset shift and a brand new decision-making framework. Methods to create long-term worth could imply making upfront investments immediately that can end in higher value optimization and higher monetary efficiency tomorrow. Philosophically, most of us perceive some great benefits of adopting these sustainable practices — and the implications of failure to take action. However we have to recondition ourselves to suppose this fashion.”
The expertise scarcity stays a prime concern for CFOs amid the so-called “Nice Resignation.” A prime workforce problem cited by the CFOs was retaining key expertise (42%), and 40% are responding by elevating salaries
Mergers and acquisitions proceed to be a preferred manner so as to add new expertise, with 31% of CFOs planning to pursue M&A this 12 months, up from 25% final 12 months and 25% within the prior 12 months. CFOs are additionally taking a look at new methods to remodel their organizations, with greater than half (53%) of CFOs polled pursuing digital transformation and 47% increasing their services or products.