CA magazine: May 2023
By Sarah Speirs, ICAS Executive Director of Member Engagement and Communication
4 May 2023
Significant progress has been made to ensure that the accountancy profession is one in which everyone can thrive. But what more needs to be done to ensure women are supported and given opportunities to realise their career ambitions?
May’s special report provides an in-depth analysis of the barriers to progress for women in the profession and champions the women who have smashed the glass ceiling, including an exclusive interview with Afua Kyei CA, CFO of the Bank of England.
On 27 April, ICAS unveiled its new brand. You can see the new visual identity on the front cover of this edition. This was developed through a rigorous process that involved testing different versions with our members, students and stakeholders.
Of course, we didn’t do this on a whim. The new brand represents part of something far bigger for ICAS. The pandemic made us all take a step back. For us, it meant a chance to re-evaluate our examination delivery and the whole learning process, along with our place in the profession and the wider world. We set about creating a new strategy to redefine our vision and purpose. You will have previously read, both here and on icas.com, that we are becoming a digital-first organisation. This is in part born of a pragmatic view about being competitive in our field, but it is also to ensure we remain best in class.
We want to equip our members with every possible opportunity to develop, so they can thrive in a rapidly changing world. We believe this new strategy offers CAs and students unrivalled access to the tools and knowledge they need to make a positive contribution to society.
But our heritage matters too, which is why we have created the strapline “Ethical leadership since 1854”. It underlines the importance of ICAS being seen as a trusted thought leader on regulation and the future of the profession, but also for issues such as sustainability and EDI that have more recently come to the fore. This issue of CA magazine reflects that strategy – and not just because CEO Bruce Cartwright CA addresses it in his column.
You can also read Bruce’s conversation with Afua Kyei CA, CFO at the Bank of England, as part of our special report about women in the profession. She discusses diversity and sustainability, as well as the macro-economic picture during these storm-tossed times. It makes for a fascinating read.
We also speak to Professor Carol Adams CA who chairs the ICAS Sustainability Board and was recently made Chair of the Global Sustainability Standards Board.
Enjoy the issue.
Learn more about the ICAS 2030 strategy