New development: The role of the accountancy profession in saving our planet

IMPACT

Work done so far with regards to sustainability reporting has been rather haphazard. The accountancy profession has entered the scene with a new standard-setting board to consolidate the work to date and produce something constructive. Hopefully, the new board recognizes that the addition of another commentary to the existing financial report would be just paying lip-service to urgent global problems. Accounting has more tools that it can wield besides words! Management accounting and budgeting have the potential to push finance in the required direction—particularly in the public sector, where budget policies would have ripple effects across the economy.

ABSTRACT

This article looks at the legitimizing role of the accountancy profession as a standard-setter in the context of sustainability reporting. It demonstrates how accounting systems, particularly in the public sector, can be utilized to provide a tangible contribution towards the achievement of the UN’s sustainable development goals. However, the accountancy profession would need to be willing to move away from the standard financial report, focus on management accounting, and use prior work (for example, the GRI) as a foundation. It would also need to include professionals from other schools of thought.

KEYWORDS:

• Accountancy profession
• information technology
• legitimacy theory
• management accounting
• public sector accounting standard-setting
• Sustainable Development Goals