AccountingJobs.com’s Post

A Student’s Perspective on Sustainability Accounting. A very interesting read from a Generation Z point of view as they enter the workforce.

When most people think of accountants, they think of measuring financial impact. Yet, more and more, students have a desire to use accounting to make an impact and benefit society — including sustainability. 🌱 💸 As more businesses shift their focus to operating sustainably and implementing sustainability initiatives, someone has to measure these factors and report on them. “Accounting is key to the future success of sustainability initiatives because companies need to be accountable, we need to be able to verify what they're saying and we need to hold them accountable for what they're saying and the goals that they're setting. If investors, if governments, if stakeholders, if the public are going to care about environmental concerns and a business's impact on the environment, companies are going to have to start to measure and report that.” — Dr. Jennifer Stevens, associate professor

After heavy interest from across the market, we're excited to announce our new professional development course, Principles of Sustainability Accounting! Sustainability accounting is rapidly becoming an essential practice for businesses of all sizes. This course was designed by Sam Nelson, who has over 30 years of experience in sustainability accounting. The course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to navigate this evolving field and contribute to a more sustainable future. In this 3-hour session, you'll gain insights into: - The societal and economic factors driving the rise of sustainability accounting. - The history and current trends shaping the field. - The compelling business case for implementing sustainability accounting practices. - Key principles like outcomes, materiality, boundaries, and more. - Practical application through real-world case studies. By the end of this course, you'll be able to: - Articulate the main components of sustainability accounting. - Apply a universal approach to implementing sustainability accounting programmes within your organization. Whether you're looking for professional development to assist you and your team, want to be job-ready as an Environmental Accountant, Sustainability Accounting Analyst, or ESG analyst, or want to stay ahead of the curve, this course is for you! Visit our website to learn more and register today! https://lnkd.in/g4pFqYxD

The key to improvement in sustainability lies in Impact Accounting, in which the organisation makes the wider effects of its activity a line item on the balance sheet. In this article, Patrick Smith looks at the sustainability landscape and how impact accounting can make organisations more responsible by increasing resilience to risk, with enhanced reputation, and improved recruitment and retention.

Sustainable Accounting: Simplifying Corporate Responsibility In today’s world, businesses are being asked to do more than just make money. People are compelled to become more responsible because they care about how businesses treat society and the environment. This is where "green accounting," or sustainable accounting, enters the picture. Businesses can use it to gauge their impact on people and the environment in addition to their financial success. This blog will explain sustainable accounting, its importance, the difficulties businesses encounter, and how they can begin their path to sustainability. https://lnkd.in/gwBJsg-z #Sustainability #GreenBusiness #ESG #SustainableDevelopment #SustainableAccounting #GreenAccounting #ESGReporting #CorporateResponsibility #TripleBottomLine #EnvironmentalandSocialImpact #EnvironmentalAccounting #SocialResponsibility #ClimateAction #EthicalBusiness #CarbonNeutral #BusinessandInnovation #FutureOfAccounting #SustainabilityInBusiness #EcoInnovation #SustainableLeadership

How are we shaping Education in Sustainability Reporting? Over the past two days, I had the privilege of exploring this question at the EAA - European Accounting Association EFRAG International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) Sustainability Reporting Standards Education Workshop, hosted by the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. This event brought together leading voices from academia, standard setters, and industry to discuss the evolving landscape of sustainability reporting and its implications for education. The conversations underscored both the challenges and opportunities in aligning standard-setting with student learning and professional practice. Key insights that resonated with me: 1️⃣ Complementarity of Standards: Standards like ISSB, GRI, and ESRS address different notions of materiality (financial, impact, and double materiality, respectively). Together, they reflect distinct yet complementary theories of change for a sustainable transition. 2️⃣ Navigating Complexity: The institutional landscape is evolving, and uncertainty must be embraced as part of the process. We are not just adapting to history—we are actively shaping it. 3️⃣ Beyond Reporting: Sustainability reporting is not just about external disclosures. It requires an integrated sustainability management approach, encompassing strategy, governance, accounting, and assurance, among others. The term “non-financial” reporting no longer fits—it is integrated. My personal takeaways: - Collaborative Teaching for High-Quality Reporting: There is a growing need for co-creation and sharing of solutions in sustainability reporting education. This workshop reaffirmed the power of multistakeholder, interdisciplinary dialogue in advancing not only sustainability reporting practices but also students' learning. - Making ESG Reporting Courses Essential: It is hard to imagine a master’s degree in accounting without a mandatory course on ESG reporting. With nearly 50,000 firms falling under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, this is more relevant than ever. - Sustainability as a Long-Term Journey: We must focus on resilience and our long-term vision rather than being distracted by short-term turbulence. When I started my PhD in 2011, a workshop like this would have been unimaginable. We have come a long way, and we must continue our collective efforts. I am excited to bring these insights into my work and continue contributing to this critical field.

🏆 Emerald Literati Award Our paper 'Disentangling the concept of comparability in sustainability reporting', published in the Sustainability Accounting Management and Policy Journal Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, has won an award for Outstanding Paper in the 2024 Emerald Literati Awards 📅 Our viewpoint contributes to the debate in the sustainability reporting research area by disentangling and critically assessing comparability concept. By adopting R-reflexivity we have disentangled the concept into three facets: materiality and comparability (Facet 1), benchmarking/monitoring and comparability (Facet 2) and operationalisation and comparability (Facet 3). By taking a critical and reflexive approach, we encourage policymakers and standard setters to reconsider the comparability principle, so it effectively embeds the accountability purpose of sustainability reporting. 📚 If are interested in reading more you can freely download the paper at the following link https://lnkd.in/dfKKYkWf 🙏 A special thanks to my dear friends and co-authors Dr. Blerita Korca and Bouten Lies for the fruitful collaboration, to the Editorial Team of the Sustainability Accounting Management and Policy Journal and the editor-in-chief Carol Adams.

Sustainability Accounting: Empowering MSMEs Towards a Sustainable Future In her presentation, Prof. Paulina Permatasari highlighted the crucial role of sustainability accounting in empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to build a sustainable future for Indonesia. Key Highlights: 1. The Importance of Sustainability: Sustainability is a critical theme for the future of our planet, organizations, and communities. It is a shared responsibility that requires collaboration between the government, financial institutions, corporations, and MSMEs. 2. Sustainability Reporting: Sustainability reporting focuses on measuring, analyzing, and reporting the social and environmental impact of an organization. The emergence of frameworks like ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) has made sustainability reporting increasingly important for investors and stakeholders. 3. Challenges for MSMEs: MSMEs often face challenges in terms of transparency and understanding the concept of sustainability. This is where Prof. Paulina and her team have stepped in to provide support. Empowering MSMEs: Prof. Paulina's team has collaborated with the Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Industry, Global Reporting Initiative, and Business Export Development Organization to provide training and guidance on sustainability reporting for MSMEs. They have already assisted around 200 MSMEs in developing their sustainability reports. 4. Sustainability Reporting Guidance: The team has developed a comprehensive guide on sustainability reporting, covering basic, intermediate, and advanced levels to cater to the diverse needs of MSMEs. 5. Sustainability Metrics: In collaboration with BRIN and JRI, Prof. Paulina's team is also working on developing a sustainability index or metrics to assess the level of sustainability implementation and reporting among MSMEs. 6. The Way Forward: Prof. Paulina emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the government, financial institutions, corporations, and MSMEs to build a sustainable business landscape and drive inclusive economic growth in Indonesia. By sharing this inspiring story, Prof. Paulina's work showcases how sustainability accounting can empower MSMEs and contribute to a more sustainable future for Indonesia.

🔍 How 2 perform Assurance on Sustainability Reporting: Accountancy Europe answered the following questions (and many more): 💡 What is assurance on sustainability reporting? 💡 How is assurance performed? 💡 What are the types of assurance? Check out their page: https://lnkd.in/dxzrfCWf Thanks for sharing Accountancy Europe

Regulations are requiring sustainability teams to be a triple threat - integrating with compliance, accounting, and IT. Working through these challenges with several clients, our Baker Tilly US team has identified a couple of areas where corporate sustainability professionals can add value, partner with key functions, and improve reporting procedures ahead of key deadlines.