Who better to offer some sustainability advice to CFOs than the former EVP and Global Head of an international ratings service, who delivered double-digit growth for nine years running?

As she leaves The McGraw-Hill Companies, Vickie Tillman, who for two years has headed the company's sustainability initiatives for its Global Strategy Group as Senior VP of Global Sustainability Business Development and previously ran its subsidiary, Standard & Poor's (S&P), has some financial tips for sustainability executives (and sustainability tips for finance professionals).

In her most recent job, Tillman's primary role has been to figure out how to develop a platform of sustainability products and services, such as analytics and other information, "to create clarity for decision makers in this new megatrend" of sustainability, which is often financially murky, she says.

Four Financial Questions

Based on her observations of many companies over the years, Tillman argues: "All the touch points in a company, including sustainability, belong in the CFO's office."

Four of the key financial questions facing decision makers, including business and public leaders, include:

1. Should they invest in a particular project?

2. What are the risks of investing in projects like clean technology, project finance, desalination?

3. How is everything related?

4. And how can they create an approach to a low carbon society?

What could be more fun -- or important -- than imagining the next generation of sustainability products for companies, municipalities and others who need to make decisions, especially the financial decisions that come with sustainability territory?

Noting that most of what she's learned is relevant to many companies, Tillman says: "My job [in the past couple of years] has really been to be a subject matter expert and work with the individual businesses [within the company] to innovate around their core capabilities -- analytics, benchmarks, information, transparency. This can touch individual corporations, communities, countries, states, towns or other organizations and entities."