PwC's accounting podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

A video of this podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, or PwC’s website at viewpoint.pwc.com

Greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting continues to evolve, with companies facing increasing complexity in navigating frameworks, data quality, and materiality. In this episode, we explore recurring themes and practical challenges in GHG disclosures—from organizational boundaries to the role of renewable energy credits (RECs)—with insights from our specialists deeply engaged in global sustainability reporting.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 1:22 – GHG reporting landscape and regulatory shifts
• 5:01 – Materiality, alignment with financial reporting, and minimum boundaries
• 23:48 – Organizational boundaries and key decisions companies are facing
• 31:35 – Scope 2 renewable energy certificates: timing, location, and use
• 43:00 – Systems, tools, and data quality, including preparing for reporting and assurance

Looking for more on GHG and sustainability reporting?

• Sustainability now: Inside the GHG Protocol’s scope 3 update
• Sustainability now: A primer on California climate reporting
• Other episodes in our sustainability reporting podcast series
• GHG Protocol announces Scope 2 Public Consultation
• PwC’s Sustainability reporting guide

Be sure to follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app and subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay in the loop for the latest thought leadership on sustainability reporting.

About our guests

Marcin Olewinski is a PwC Assurance practice partner with 20 years of experience bringing valued perspectives and insights to large clients in the energy sector. He’s focused within the National Office on greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability reporting and leads PwC’s global technical working group focused on GHG.

Colin Powell PwC Canada’s Technical Net Zero Leader, specializes in GHG quantification, life cycle assessment, target setting, and decarbonization strategies. Colin is a Professional Engineer with a PhD in wastewater treatment modeling and has helped companies measure over 1 billion tonnes of GHG emissions while advising global clients on decarbonization. He sits on the GHG Protocol’s Scope 3 Working Group, shaping global standards.

About our host

Heather Horn is the PwC National Office Sustainability & Thought Leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting, financial reporting, and sustainability matters. She's also part of PwC’s global sustainability leadership team.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com

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A video of this podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify, or PwC’s website at viewpoint.pwc.com

In this episode, we explore insights from PwC’s Global Sustainability Reporting Survey featuring nearly 500 executives worldwide. Recorded during New York City Climate Week, the conversation highlights how companies are using sustainability data to drive strategy, respond to stakeholder pressure, and prepare for evolving regulations.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 1:14 – Key takeaways from New York City Climate Week
• 3:40 – Overview of PwC’s Global Sustainability Reporting Survey and its purpose
• 8:42 – How companies are using sustainability data to inform risk, resilience, and opportunity
• 11:14 – Lessons from early reporters: tech adoption, resource needs, and AI use
• 14:14 – The demand for transparency

Looking for more on PwC’s 2025 Global Sustainability Reporting Survey? Check out From insight to value: The sustainability reporting journey continues

About our guest

Nadja Picard is PwC’s Global Reporting Leader. She leads PwC’s initiative to help clients transform their reporting both to meet investor and stakeholder demands for trusted reporting and to unlock business value from new data sets, including sustainability. Nadja also advises companies on the accounting, corporate reporting, and investor relations requirements in advance of capital markets transactions, especially Initial Public Offerings.

About our guest host

Diana Stoltzfus is a partner in the National Office who helps to shape PwC’s perspectives on regulatory matters, responses to rulemakings and policy development, and implementation related to significant new rules and regulations. Prior to rejoining PwC, Diana was the Deputy Chief Accountant in the Office of the Chief Accountant (OCA) at the SEC where she led the activities of the OCA’s Professional Practices Group.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com

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We conclude our revenue miniseries with an episode on collaborative arrangements, which has its own guidance (ASC 808, Collaborative Arrangements) but also often interacts with other guidance, including that on revenue from contracts with customers.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 4:55 – Criteria to meet the definition of a “collaborative arrangement”
• 16:20 – An overview of the collaborative arrangement accounting model
• 20:27 – Application of an accounting policy for recognition and presentation 
• 25:04 – Timing of recognition, presentation, and disclosure
• 32:42 – Other areas of GAAP that may apply to the arrangement

For more information, see section 2.4.1 of our Revenue guide. Also, check out other episodes in our miniseries: Modifying a contract? Your revenue recognition may change, Gross versus net revenue: Is your company the principal or agent?, and Identifying the contract – The first step in recognizing revenue. Additionally, follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app for more episodes.

Angela Fergason is a partner and standard setting leader in PwC's National Office who specializes in accounting for revenue and employee compensation arrangements. She also consults on a range of financial reporting issues impacting technology companies.

Christine Moore is a director in PwC’s Deals practice, advising audit and non-audit clients on complex accounting and financial reporting matters. She recently completed a tour with the National Office where she advised on revenue arrangements for public and private companies across various industries, with a focus on companies in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry.

Heather Horn is the PwC National Office Sustainability & Thought Leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting, financial reporting, and sustainability matters. In addition, she is part of PwC’s global sustainability leadership team, developing interpretive guidance and consulting with companies as they transition from voluntary to mandatory sustainability reporting. She is also the engaging host of PwC’s quarterly webcast series.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com. 

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This week, host Heather Horn is joined by a special guest from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). Vice Chair, Sue Lloyd gives us an inside look into the ISSB’s workplan, new projects, and new strategic relationships. She also shares how the ISSB is supporting implementation of the standards.

In this episode, they discuss:

• 4:15 – Insights from the adoption of ISSB standards around the world
• 9:20 – Variability of sustainability reporting and interoperability guidance
• 19:08 – Challenges reporting under multiple frameworks and ISSB partnerships to address them
• 25:31 – Responsibilities to report under other frameworks, such as California SB 261 (based on TCFD)
• 29:41 – Working to address investor needs and concerns
• 31:35 – Aligning ISSB reporting and sector standards
• 35:10 – How the ISSB is supporting implementation
• 38:40 – Advice for companies navigating the evolving sustainability reporting landscape

Want to hear more about the ISSB? Listen to our previous podcast discussing the ISSB standards and interoperability guidance. Also, as referenced in the podcast, check out the ISSB’s Webcast: Overview of ESRS-ISSB Standards Interoperability Guidance or visit the IFRS Sustainability knowledge hub.

Sue Lloyd is the Vice Chair of the ISSB and played a leading role in its establishment. Previously, she served as a member and Vice Chair of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and as Chair of the IFRS Interpretations Committee.

Heather Horn is the PwC National Office Sustainability & Thought Leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting, financial reporting, and sustainability matters. In addition, she is part of PwC’s global sustainability leadership team, developing interpretive guidance and consulting with companies as they transition from voluntary to mandatory sustainability reporting. She is also the engaging host of PwC’s quarterly webcast series.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com. 

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We continue our revenue podcast miniseries discussing contract modifications. Contract modifications are accounted for as either a separate contract or as part of the existing contract, depending on the nature of the modification.

In this episode, we discuss: 

• 4:47 – An overview of contract modifications   
• 5:57 – Modifications that are accounted for as separate contracts 
• 6:54 – Modifications that are accounted for prospectively 
• 10:08 – Modifications that result in cumulative catch-up adjustments 
• 11:28 – Other types of modifications 
• 13:16 – Common contract modification scenarios and related accounting pitfalls 
• 23:22 – Contract terminations 

For more information, see section 2.9 of our Revenue guide. Also, check out other episodes in our miniseries: Gross versus net revenue: Is your company the principal or agent? and Identifying the contract – The first step in recognizing revenue. Additionally, follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app for more episodes.   

Pat Durbin is a Deputy Chief Accountant in PwC’s National Office. He has over 30 years of experience consulting with our clients and engagement teams on complex accounting matters, including issues related to revenue, compensation, income taxes, and inventory under both US GAAP and IFRS.

Angela Fergason is a partner and standard setting leader in PwC's National Office who specializes in accounting for revenue and employee compensation arrangements. She also consults on a range of financial reporting issues impacting technology companies.

Heather Horn is the PwC National Office Sustainability & Thought Leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting, financial reporting, and sustainability matters. In addition, she is part of PwC’s global sustainability leadership team, developing interpretive guidance and consulting with companies as they transition from voluntary to mandatory sustainability reporting. She is also the engaging host of PwC’s quarterly webcast series.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com.

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This episode provides an overview of the new standard from the International Accounting Standards Board, the IASB. IFRS 18 is the new standard on presentation and disclosure in financial statements, with a focus on updates to the income statement. This is a significant development in IFRS financial reporting - even companies not reporting under IFRS will want to be aware of these updates. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• 1:10 – An overview of the new standard
• 5:00 – Aggregation and disaggregation (impacting all primary financial statements and notes)
• 9:00 – Structural changes to the statement of profit or loss
• 18:25 – Getting started with implementation and the timeline
• 21:19 – Management-defined performance measures

For more information, read our publication, IFRS 18 is here: redefining financial performance reporting. Additionally, follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app for more episodes.

Gary Berchowitz is the non-financial instruments leader in PwC’s Global Assurance Quality - Corporate Reporting Services group. Gary brings years of financial accounting experience, working to drive quality and connectivity throughout the PwC network and help local teams solve complex accounting issues in a practical way. Gary contributes to the firm’s global view on a variety of financial reporting matters.

Heather Horn is the PwC National Office Sustainability & Thought Leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting, financial reporting, and sustainability matters. In addition, she is part of PwC’s global sustainability leadership team, developing interpretive guidance and consulting with companies as they transition from voluntary to mandatory sustainability reporting. She is also the engaging host of PwC’s quarterly webcast series.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com. 

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Our revenue miniseries continues with identifying the contract, the first step in the five-step model in the revenue standard. It's important to get this step right to appropriately apply the model for recognizing revenue. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• 4:10 – The five criteria to have a contract with a customer under the revenue standard 
• 8:23 – The impact of master services agreements and enforceable rights
• 16:03 – Assessing collectibility of the consideration in the contract
• 27:08 – Determining the contract term 

For more information, read chapter 2 of our Revenue guide. Also, to hear more on revenue topics, listen to the first episode in this miniseries, Gross versus net revenue: Is your company the principal or agent?. Additionally, follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app for more episodes.

Mike Coleman is a partner in PwC's National Office with over 30 years of experience. Mike specializes in accounting for revenue and software arrangements and has served technology clients for much of his career. In addition, Mike has represented the firm on the AICPA Software Task Force.

Pat Durbin is a Deputy Chief Accountant in PwC’s National Office. He has over 30 years of experience consulting with our clients and engagement teams on complex accounting matters, including issues related to revenue, compensation, income taxes, and inventory under both US GAAP and IFRS.

Heather Horn is the PwC National Office Sustainability & Thought Leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting, financial reporting, and sustainability matters. In addition, she is part of PwC’s global sustainability leadership team, developing interpretive guidance and consulting with companies as they transition from voluntary to mandatory sustainability reporting. She is also the engaging host of PwC’s quarterly webcast series.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com.

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Host Heather Horn welcomes back Will Evison, a director in PwC UK’s Global Sustainability, Climate, and Nature Strategy practice, to provide an update on the work of PwC’s Centre for Nature Positive Business and discuss the relationship between nature positive business strategy and reporting. 

In this episode, they discuss: 

• 2:18– The purpose and progress of PwC’s Centre for Nature Positive Business 
• 8:57 – The impact of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive adoption on company strategies 
• 10:45 – The importance of nature positive business
• 12:58 – Nature reporting developments, including those related to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards and the Task Force on Nature Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)
• 23:27 – Insights on how companies can combine nature strategy and reporting
• 28:55 – What’s on the horizon for nature positive business 

Interested in more background on measuring and reporting nature and biodiversity? Listen to our previous podcasts in the “Becoming nature positive” series (Committing, measuring and reporting and Strategizing and implementing) and check out PwC’s global nature hub here. 

Also, referenced in the podcast, is the Nature Strategy Handbook developed by Business for Nature in collaboration with PwC UK (official partner of the campaign), as well as Managing natures risks: from understanding to action, a follow-up to an earlier analysis of the nature dependence of industries’ direct operations that was carried out by PwC as part of the World Economic Forum’s New Nature Economy Report Series and published in the Nature Risk Rising report in 2020. 

Will Evison is a director in PwC UK’s Global Sustainability, Climate, and Nature Strategy practice, specializing in integrating natural and social capital analysis into decision making. With over 18 years’ experience delivering climate and nature-related projects with businesses, investment firms and public sector organizations across more than 20 countries, he also led the development of PwC’s Total Impact Measurement and Management methodologies (TIMM), and now manages PwC’s global TIMM center of excellence. These methodologies utilize predictive analytics, health economics, and wellbeing techniques to model outcomes.

Heather Horn is the PwC National Office Sustainability & Thought Leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting, financial reporting, and sustainability matters. In addition, she is part of PwC’s global sustainability leadership team, developing interpretive guidance and consulting with companies as they transition from voluntary to mandatory sustainability reporting. She is also the engaging host of PwC’s quarterly webcast series.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com. 

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This episode begins a podcast miniseries on revenue topics with a discussion of principal versus agent (PvA) or “gross versus net” revenue. In other words, the principal in a transaction records revenue on a gross basis and the agent records revenue net. The PvA analysis can be subjective but it's important to get it right as it can materially impact a key line item in the income statement, revenue from contracts with customers.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 2:00 – An overview of the PvA model and reporting impacts
• 8:45 – Key considerations in the PvA analysis
• 9:50 – Assessing control
• 16:25 – Challenges in applying the PvA analysis to specific arrangements, including:
  • 16:59 – Healthcare services
  • 24:15 – Payment processing
• 30:12 – Additional reminders relating to the PvA analysis and related disclosures

For more information, read chapter 10 of our Revenue guide. Additionally, follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app for more episodes.

Mike Coleman is a partner in PwC's National Office with over 30 years of experience. Mike specializes in accounting for revenue and software arrangements and has served technology clients for much of his career. In addition, Mike has represented the firm on the AICPA Software Task Force.

Pat Durbin is a Deputy Chief Accountant in PwC’s National Office. He has over 30 years of experience consulting with our clients and engagement teams on complex accounting matters, including issues related to revenue, compensation, income taxes, and inventory under both US GAAP and IFRS.

Heather Horn is the PwC National Office Sustainability & Thought Leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting, financial reporting, and sustainability matters. In addition, she is part of PwC’s global sustainability leadership team, developing interpretive guidance and consulting with companies as they transition from voluntary to mandatory sustainability reporting. She is also the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com. 

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This episode dives into valuation relating to goodwill impairments, long-lived asset impairments, and business combinations. We discuss:

• 1:15 – The meaning of “fair value” in financial reporting
• 5:55 – Valuation considerations and insights related
  • 6:20 – Goodwill impairments
  • 34:30 – Impairments of long-lived assets
  • 42:53 – Business combinations

For more information, read chapter 7 of our Fair value guide, chapters 2 and 9 of our Business combinations guide, and chapter 5 our Property, plant, equipment and other assets guide. Also, check out another recent podcast related to this topic, Impairment of long-lived assets held and used. Additionally, follow this podcast on your favorite podcast app for more episodes.

Beth Paul is a Deputy Chief Accountant in PwC’s National Office responsible for a team of consultants that specialize in business combinations and related areas, such as consolidations, disposals, impairments, and segment reporting.

Adam Smith is a managing director in PwC’s Deals practice with experience related to performing valuations of businesses, business interests, intangible assets, and derivatives. Adam’s valuation specialization supports a wide range of purposes, including financial reporting, litigation support, corporate planning and consulting, and mergers and acquisitions.

Heather Horn is the PwC National Office Sustainability & Thought Leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting, financial reporting, and sustainability matters. In addition, she is part of PwC’s global sustainability leadership team, developing interpretive guidance and consulting with companies as they transition from voluntary to mandatory sustainability reporting. She is also the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to us_podcast@pwc.com.

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