Globally, there is a recognition of a need to move to a more sustainable way of living and conducting business. CPAs are uniquely placed to make a difference in this transition. As such, CPA Canada developed a series of six 10-minute reads on the subject of sustainability, gleaned from presentations from nine leading academics, practitioners and thought leaders exploring opportunities, challenges and contradictory forces for accountants, corporations, communities and countries practising, transitioning to and embracing sustainability.
“Sustainability is the now and the future. CPAs are rooted at the heart of creating resilient value for their organizations and have a significant role to play to ensure the concepts of sustainable development, including accounting for all the capitals, is maintained for the longer term.” – Davinder Valeri, Director, Strategy, Risk and Performance, CPA Canada
This series is for prospective and current CPAs who want to better understand sustainability and the prospective roles—as individuals and professionals—they can play in taking action, showing courage and providing clarity and oversight of financial and non-financial information as Canada transitions to a low-carbon economy. It is relevant for CPAs exploring the challenges and opportunities of sustainability for their organizations and clients.
The series covers the following:
- Part 1: Sustainability: Imperatives looks at the drivers of sustainability and why you should act now.
- Part 2: Sustainability: Definitions and perspectives looks at the definitional divide when viewing sustainability from the perspectives of the corporation, the environment, the exploiter and the steward. Is the market the solution to sustainability challenges?
- Part 3: Sustainability metrics: Can accountants save the world? shows metrics that hurt sustainability and others that should be considered. It looks at valuation beyond monetization and warns against oversimplification.
- Part 4: Sustainability reporting and assurance: Accountants take the lead looks at the powerful trend backed by capital markets and international business to consolidate and standardize sustainability metrics and reporting. Through the new International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), accountants may convince regulators to change the rules of the game.
- Part 5: Canada’s global commitment: Getting to net zero examines Canada’s global sustainability commitments, CPA Canada’s role in getting there, and conflicts and contradictions faced by economies transitioning to net zero.
- Part 6: Calls to action for future-ready CPAs focuses on what we can do as professionals and individuals to move toward more sustainable living. It looks in detail at the new pre-certification qualifications for the Canadian CPA designation and steps to take toward more sustainable economies.
Download the report here.
