CA magazine: November 2023
By Sarah Speirs, ICAS Executive Director of Member Engagement and Communication
26 October 2023
What will the accountancy profession look like in the future?
In this month’s CA magazine, we take a look at the future of accountancy. We introduce ‘Shaping the Profession’, our new programme of work which aims to map out what society might need from accountants both now and in the future, and we reveal how we are attracting the next generation of talent into the profession. From AI to ESG, we also tap into the perspectives of a range of CAs to predict the challenges and trends that will shape our world.
This issue’s special report focuses on Shaping the Profession, a programme of work that, to quote our Director of Public Affairs, Sarah Chisnall, “will help ICAS consider what the future might look like for individual CAs, for firms and businesses, and, just as importantly, what society will need from us as a profession”.
The report includes interviews with CAs, ranging from those just qualified to senior members, to find out what they see as the key issues for themselves, their peers and their future successors.
The profession is evolving, and rapidly so. But ICAS is not sitting back and waiting for events to play out. We recently launched two campaigns. One is aimed at the next generation of CAs, while the other forms part of our ambition to expand the number of training firms we work with, as our new syllabus, which launches next year, offers greater flexibility for both students and firms. We explain the thinking behind these campaigns.
Our new driving force is Strategy 2030, our roadmap towards an exciting and ambitious future. This will equip us to respond in extraordinary times, to meet the changing needs of firms and students, but also, crucially, our members, to ensure we’re representing their views and delivering value.
One key theme to emerge from Shaping the Profession is the environment. In this issue, Director of Sustainability Fiona Donnelly speaks to Peter Bakker, CEO for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. This is an absolute must-read to understand what sustainability and climate change mean for the accounting profession and for every company trying to grapple with this existential challenge.
Enjoy the issue.
Read more about Strategy 2030