Benevolent bean-counters: The rise of sustainability-savvy accountants

A recent study found that 9 in 10 accountants want companies to be more sustainable after the pandemic. Eco-Business asked Association of Chartered Certified Accountants sustainability head Jimmy Greer about reinventing capitalism and making the numbers of net zero commitments add up.

Accountants are unlikely environmentalists. But the bean-counters play an ever more important role in helping companies navigate an increasingly complex world of sustainability reports, environmental and social regulations, and net zero commitments that must be budgeted and paid for.

A recent study by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), titled Mainstreaming impact: Scaling a sustainable recovery, found that 9 out of 10 finance professionals globally want companies to increase efforts to become more environmentally sustainable after the Covid-19 pandemic.

More tellingly, 95 per cent of finance professionals said that finance teams should lead this change and have a role to play in building a more socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable future.

Jimmy Greer, head of sustainability, ACCA

Jimmy Greer, head of sustainability, ACCA

Joining the Eco-Business Podcast to talk about the role of accountants in building a better future is Jimmy Greer, the head of sustainability for ACCA. Greer designs and authors research and analysis on global social, economic and environmental risks, and their impacts on the economy and society.

Join us as we talk about:

  • Accountants’ gripes about ESG reporting
  • Are there too many sustainability reporting frameworks?
  • Do the net zero numbers add up?
  • How well versed are young accountants in ESG issues?
  • Reinventing capitalism

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