Why Canadian Sustainability Standards Board Chair calls sustainability disclosures "table stakes"

In this episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we're examining global uptake of standards created by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).   The ISSB launched in 2021 to create standardized sustainability reporting rules, establishing its first two standards in 2023. Since then, around 40 jurisdictions have either adopted ISSB standards or are planning to adopt them in future.    Canada was one of the early adopters, and in today's episode we speak to Wendy Berman, Chair of the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board (CSSB), which formed in 2022. Wendy explains the challenges Canadian companies face in adopting sustainability standards in a tense geopolitical environment and her expectations for greater global convergence in sustainability reporting.   "Despite these headwinds, we're not seeing any significant pullback in Canadian companies on their journey to full implementation of these standards," Wendy says. "They see sustainability issues as mainstream business risks and opportunities, and they're advancing on their journey."   She also explains how the CSSB is working with the ISSB to embed the interests of Canada's Indigenous peoples into sustainability standards. "It's important to have Indigenous rights, interests and voices heard by the ISSB," Wendy says.   We'll be back in upcoming podcast episodes to explore how other jurisdictions are adopting ISSB standards. In the meantime, you can read our latest quarterly tracker on ISSB adoption: May 2026 – Where does the world stand on ISSB adoption? | S&P Global  Copyright ©2026 by S&P Global    DISCLAIMER  By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk.    Any unauthorized use, facilitation or encouragement of a third party's unauthorized use (including without limitation copy, distribution, transmission or modification, use as part of generative artificial intelligence or for training any artificial intelligence models) of this Podcast or any related information is not permitted without S&P Global's prior consent subject to appropriate licensing and shall be deemed an infringement, violation, breach or contravention of the rights of S&P Global or any applicable third-party (including any copyright, trademark, patent, rights of privacy or publicity or any other proprietary rights).     This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties.    S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.