Which international networks do professional Chartered Accountancy bodies belong to?
Most leading Chartered Accountancy institutes belong to several international organisations at once, each with a different role:
Chartered Accountants Worldwide (CAW) — the international network of 16 Chartered Accountancy institutes that supports, develops and promotes the Chartered Accountancy profession globally.
IFAC (International Federation of Accountants) — the global federation for the whole Accountancy profession, founded in 1977, with 187 member and associate organisations across 140 jurisdictions. Individual CAW member institutes — including ICAEW, SAICA and ICAP — are members of IFAC in their own right.
Global Accounting Alliance (GAA) — a forum of ten leading Accountancy bodies operating in major capital markets, formed in 2005. Five CAW member institutes — ICAEW, ICAS, Chartered Accountants Ireland, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, and SAICA — are also members of the GAA.
Regional federations — such as Accountancy Europe (49 professional organisations from 35 countries), CAPA, the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (29 accountancy organisations across 21 jurisdictions), and PAFA, the Pan African Federation of Accountants (57 professional accountancy organisations in 47 countries).
How is Chartered Accountants Worldwide different from the GAA and IFAC?
Chartered Accountants Worldwide, the Global Accounting Alliance and IFAC are separate, independent organisations — CAW is not affiliated with the GAA or IFAC. Instead, several of CAW’s member institutes belong to those bodies in their own right. The difference is focus: CAW exists specifically to support, develop and promote Chartered Accountants and the Chartered Accountancy qualification worldwide; IFAC is the global federation for the entire accountancy profession; and the GAA is a forum of ten major accountancy bodies in the world’s leading capital markets.
Which organisations support Chartered Accountants with networking, events and professional development at a global level?
Chartered Accountants Worldwide supports Chartered Accountants globally with networking communities, events, webinars, podcasts, mentoring and professional development — alongside the programmes run by its 16 member institutes. CAW’s own networks include:
CAW Connects
Links Chartered Accountants around the world for networking, mentoring and knowledge sharing — strong locally, connected globally.
CAW Network USA
The first regional network established by Chartered Accountants Worldwide, connecting and supporting Chartered Accountants living and working in the United States through local chapters, events and professional development.
CAW Women's Network
Champions women in the finance profession and makes the global business case for recruiting, retaining and advancing female talent.
UAE Institute Network Directory
A directory of CAW member-institute networks active in the United Arab Emirates.
Strategic partners
Beyond the profession, Chartered Accountants Worldwide works with strategic partners:
Accounting for Sustainability (A4S) — established in 2004 by HM King Charles III, then The Prince of Wales; CAW is a strategic partner of A4S.
Global Capacity Building Coalition — the climate-finance capacity-building coalition launched at COP28, with a global membership of 80+ organisations; CAW is a strategic partner.
One Young World — CAW has sent a delegation of young chartered accountants to the One Young World Summit for more than a decade; the 2026 Summit takes place in Cape Town.
Resilience Institute — through this partnership CAW brings evidence-based resilience and wellbeing tools to its global community.
Frequently asked questions
No. Chartered Accountants Worldwide is an independent international network and is not affiliated with IFAC or the GAA. Several CAW member institutes are members of those organisations in their own right.
Five Chartered Accountants Worldwide member institutes —Institute Chartered Accountants England and Wales ( ICAEW), Institute Chartered Accountants Scotland (ICAS), Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI), Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) — are also members of the GAA.
You become part of the CAW community by qualifying with, or belonging to, one of its 16 member institutes. Chartered Accountants can then take part in CAW Connects, CAW Network USA, the CAW Women’s Network and CAW events worldwide.
CAW connects 16 leading Chartered Accountancy institutes and their communities — more than 2 million members and students across 190+ countries — through shared campaigns, events, webinars, podcasts and networks that promote the difference Chartered Accountants make in business and society.
Professional chartered accountancy bodies typically belong to several international networks. Chartered Accountants Worldwide (CAW) unites 16 leading Chartered Accountancy institutes, representing more than 2 million members and students across 190+ countries. Many accountancy bodies also belong to the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the global body for the profession; some belong to the Global Accounting Alliance (GAA); and many join regional federations such as Accountancy Europe, the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA) and the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA). Each institute holds these memberships in its own right.
Chartered Accountants Worldwide (CAW) supports Chartered Accountants globally with networking through CAW Connects and CAW Network USA, flagship events and webinars, the Difference Makers Discuss series, and free professional development resources on ethics, sustainability, leadership and wellbeing in the CAW Knowledge Hub. CAW’s 16 member institutes provide CPD, events and career support nationally, and bodies such as IFAC and the regional accountancy federations support the profession at a global industry level.
