Corporate Treasury operations are awash in paper, and a new report by J.P. Morgan can guide them to a sustainable future. “Sustainable Treasury Management: It’s Easier Than You Think” examines each component of Treasury operations-from cash and receivables collection to disbursements processing and storage of reports and other financial and customer data-and outlines best practices that are good for business and good for the environment. Each section presents specific case studies that demonstrate the benefits of electronic Treasury solutions. The report also introduces function-specific Eco Analysis Worksheets that can help corporate Treasurers calculate the benefits of going green.
According to the 2009 PricewaterhouseCoopers 12th Annual CEO Survey, sixty percent of CEOs indicate that they have already made operational changes to address climate change or plan to do so within the next twelve months. Migrating to electronic Treasury processes can have a measurable impact on a corporation’s carbon footprint as large Treasury operations can easily generate 5.5 tons of paper each year-the equivalent of 143 trees and 106 tons of greenhouse gasses. Since J.P. Morgan Treasury Services’ “Go Green” campaign began in 2007 the Bank has helped Treasury clients eliminate more than 101 million paper documents and save three million pounds of paper annually.
“Today’s economic climate is making it even more essential for Treasury departments to go green,” says Gregory Long, vice president, J.P. Morgan Treasury Services. “Many face tremendous pressure to trim costs, operate more efficiently and improve customer service. Electronic solutions help businesses automate workflow, give them instant access to financial data and eliminate the costs and risks of producing and storing paper.”The report highlights a number of best practices to help Treasury departments move toward a “zero-return” environment, including the following:
Reengineering Receivables. Many Treasury departments still spend time and money manually entering receivable and invoice information into their accounts receivable system to track payment status. Image capture and data capture in conjunction with web based data repositories provide faster and easier access to documentation and eliminate the cost of transporting paper from lockbox locations. Treasury staff can then use their bank’s online channel to improve internal workflow, receive automated exception notices and make same-day exception decisions.
Streamlining Disbursements. An online disbursement platform can significantly reduce the resources and hours required to initiate payments, research payment status and reconcile accounts. These platforms also reduce risk by providing safeguards against check fraud.
Online Reports and Statements. Treasury departments are deluged with reports of all kinds. Bringing these reports online eliminates boxes of paper statements and the storage fees associated with them. With an electronic archive, Treasury staff can use the Search feature to locate specific transactions and other data.
Document Security. Paper documents pose significant security and business continuity risks. A paperless environment turns them into electronic images that are stored in a central online repository that can restrict access to sensitive information. New workflow processes can be developed for creating, saving, filing and accessing documents that factor in security and disaster recovery requirements, as well as regulatory considerations.
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