Sustainability Hub
Welcome to the Chartered Accountants Worldwide Sustainability Hub – global information at your fingertips.
In this hub we have pulled together a wealth of content from our member institutes and trusted partners around the world to help you – and the businesses you support – in becoming more sustainable and resilient now and for the future.
Whether you and your organisation are just beginning your sustainability journey or are already well under way, there is always more to be done as we learn more about the risks climate change poses and the need to build business resilience.
To make sure you get straight to the content you need, we have curated it under the headings Environment, Society, Governance and Reporting. There is also an accessible and straightforward ‘Getting Started’ checklist, as well as specific advice for small businesses.
All Chartered Accountants are agents of change and accountability. Your sustainability journey starts – or continues – here.
CAW Sustainability Pledge
Chartered Accountants Worldwide has partnered with Resilience First to become a recognised leading player in contributing to a better, safer world, through partnership of the UNFCCC’s Race to Resilience Campaign.
In becoming a partner and joining the campaign which aims to build global resilient communities, Chartered Accountants Worldwide has signed up to a pledge that includes certain commitments which would minimise businesses’ risk whilst evolving our climate resilience plans.
FREE WEBINAR:
Greenwashing: Avoid, Identify, Act.
How can you ensure your organisation’s environmental statements are accurate and would not be susceptible to allegations of greenwashing? Our panel of experts from the worlds of business, finance and law will discuss the issues around greenwashing and its consequences.
Take the Poll
Getting started
Get started with the Chartered Accountants Worldwide Sustainability Roadmap
This guide has been prepared for Chartered Accountants working in the private sector, but it can equally be applied to those working in the public and not-for-profit sectors.
SMEs
Embracing Sustainability: Actions for SMEs
The A4S Accounting Bodies Network have published a practical guidance for SMEs and SMPs on embedding sustainability into their businesses.
Sustainability should be at the forefront of everyone’s agenda, and yet, for many businesses, both large and small, it’s not!
Too many industries are not making changes to improve sustainability at a rapid enough pace. Recent climate events – from heatwaves, floods and wildfires that are occurring regularly and globally are an indicator that man-made climate change is very much happening now.
Accountants today have an increasingly pivotal role in businesses’ strategic planning and decision making. As accounting technologies become more sophisticated and yield greater analytical insights, the industry is well placed to proactively support business performance.
Climate change is and will continue to affect businesses of all sizes. ICAEW is aiming to cut through the noise by providing tools and resources for small to medium sized businesses to build resilient business models. Here you will find guidance on where to start, how to mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt into the future. The stages outlined below will ask you simply: why, what, how and apply.
Environment
Climate – What’s the role of the accountancy profession?
Climate change is a crucial issue for the accounting profession. Time is running out to take action, and ICAEW and its global community of members are driving the change to protect the environment for future generations. Are you professionally ready to mitigate the risk and maximise the opportunity of climate change? Find inspiration, information and practical resources to support the goals set out in the Paris Agreement and in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
This is the second in a series of two virtual Dialogues designed to bring together the valuing nature community.
On 6 April 2022 we took stock of the changing operational landscape for the transition to nature-positive in business and assess what more needs to be done to accelerate the transition and make valuing nature the new normal for business.
Over half of the world’s GDP, $44 trillion of economic value, is at moderate or severe risk due to nature loss.
More than 1,000 businesses around the world are calling on governments to adopt policies now to reverse nature loss in this decade.
Climate change is and will continue to affect businesses of all sizes. ICAEW is aiming to cut through the noise by providing tools and resources for small to medium sized businesses to build resilient business models. Here you will find guidance on where to start, how to mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt into the future. The stages outlined below will ask you simply: why, what, how and apply.
Governance
Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: How Effective & Just Enforcement Systems Contribute to Global Accountancy Development
Strong governance and a robust investigation and discipline (I&D) system are core elements of a professional accountancy organization (PAO). An effective I&D system should protect the public interest in a proportionate way. Not only does this provide assurance to those using a professional accountant’s services, but it also protects the reputation of the PAO and the profession.
FAQs on Sustainability Reporting - Heart of Good Governance. Sustainability Reporting Maturity Model (SRMM) - Version 1.0 Background Material on Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) - Revised Edition 2021 Sustainable Development Goals - Accountants Creating Sustainable World Part - 3 Sustainable Development Goals - Accountants Creating Sustainable World Part […]
As investor attention shifts, sustainability reporting is gaining ground. With investors calling COVID-19 the 21st century’s first “sustainability” crisis, heads are turning towards climate change and socially responsible actions. In particular, there has been a surge this past year in sustainable investing approaches, as investors demand more attention be paid to environmental, social and governance (ESG) endeavours.
As part of the process for developing a climate plan the board needs to consider whether the organisation currently has the structures, systems and culture needed to deliver it.
Society
Gender pay gap reporting: the regulations
It is now a legal requirement for any type of organisation with over 250 eligible employees to publish a report on their gender pay gap. This means the regulations do not just apply to large corporations but also to private companies, partnerships, charities, trade and professional bodies and indeed anyone who employs 250 or more eligible employees.
Reporting
New AI standards hub launched
The AI Standards Hub, launched by the government in partnership with the Alan Turing Institute, BSI and the National Physical Laboratory, was set up as a source of information, training and guidance for businesses of all kinds that are either using or considering using AI within their systems and processes.
Aimed at students and recently qualified members, ICAEW is holding a competition asking entrants to submit a 5,000-word essay, video, podcast, or other media format, answering the question: The Great Transition: what do we need to do and what role does the accountancy profession have?
Nov 21, 2022 The two-week long international climate summit has at last concluded in Egypt, with the gavel going down on a final agreement on Sunday, 20 November 2022. The ‘Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan’ creates a loss and damage fund for countries vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Seen […]
A new playbook offers actionable insights for not-for-profits and charities which have a critical role in the transition to a sustainable future.