CEOs: More Emphasis Should Be Placed on Non-Financial Capital

The financial crisis of 2008 considerably altered debate over economic growth and prosperity. Now, it appears that the events of the last few years are driving chief executives to reconsider the significance of non-financial assets as part of their overall corporate strategy.

According to a survey released this week the American Institute of CPAs and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, 75 percent of CEOs agree that more emphasis should be placed on measuring the value of non-financial assets, including intellectual capital and customer relationships.

However, the global survey also found only slightly more than half of executives - 51 percent - currently measure the impact of non-financial assets, and only 12 charge their finance teams with the task.

"Businesses are facing unprecedented challenges," said Charles Tilley, chief executive of CIMA. "One of the key struggles faced by CEOs is building sustainably for the future in the face of a fixation on financial, short-term gains. Our research shows there is an unmet need in the measuring of non-financial information within organizations."

With mounting financial uncertainty stemming from the European debt crisis - not to mention global supply chain concerns and rampant unemployment in the U.S. - it seems unlikely that non-financial assets will receive due attention in 2012.