Accountancy and Finance Professionals Must Focus on Social Equity: ACCA

Accountancy and finance professionals are at the forefront of the transition to a sustainable future according to the latest research by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). Finance professionals from around the world shared their views, resulting in ACCA’s new report ‘Accounting for Society’s Values.’

Organisations need to transition to a sustainable future that embraces the economic, environmental and social aspects in combination. Society faces long-term challenges from social injustice, with stakeholders and regulators increasingly focusing on the social implications of the actions of organisations. That’s why defining and measuring the return to society by an organisation’s activities is becoming as important as the financial objectives themselves.

The accountancy and finance profession needs to see this as an opportunity to define its future role and put the social agenda at the core of the profession.

Three key messages from this report:

1. The profession's future embraces sustainability through social equity and protecting the environment.
2. Measuring the social agenda is difficult, but we must act.
3. There is a strong business imperative to embed this agenda into strategy now.

Helen Brand OBE, ACCA chief executive commented, "The social agenda is a broad one and requires organisations to act now. Without the valued and proactive input of the accountancy and finance profession, the goal of reaching sustainability for all organisations will be unattainable. The profession has an opportunity to play its full part in enabling the just transition, not least the social aspect – one that it cannot afford to shirk."

Md. Sajid Khan, Director – ACCA India said, "Amidst growing emphasis on addressing socio-economic disparities, there is a real opportunity for the accountancy and finance profession to help progress social equity across India and lead the transition to a sustainable future. ACCA is committed to actively contributing to these efforts and playing our part in promoting social equity, fostering sustainable development, and driving positive change for a better world."