What is on the CA Agenda for 2020
ICAS CEO Bruce Cartwright gives a preview of what to expect from the CA Agenda in 2020.
2019 was a year of dramatic and at sometimes turbulent change for the world. The UK alone witnessed the resignation of a prime minister and the leadership contest which followed; Parliament was suspended for two weeks before the Supreme Court ruled the action to be unlawful; further debate and review of the audit profession and its role continued (and will do so for sure in 2020); we finished the year with a December General Election….. and Greggs launched a vegan sausage roll.
So the last example in my list may not have sent shockwaves through the political and economic landscape as those before it, but it does illustrate how essential it is for organisations to innovate and update their offerings to ensure they stay relevant.
As we enter the roaring twenties, the new decade provides fresh opportunities for ICAS to ensure what we have to offer continues to move with the times, and that we focus on equipping our members with the tools they need to tackle the evolving challenges of today’s industry.
Last year ICAS launched the CA Agenda, a thought leadership content initiative which at its core has an emphasis on addressing the themes of technology, trust and talent – three big issues affecting the industry and the wider business world today.
The focus on the ‘three t’s’ has come about in response to feedback from our members regarding their key areas of concern for the future.
This year we are continuing to sharpen the focus of these themes and bring our members new ways to access and experience the thought leadership content provided by the CA Agenda.
The theme of trust is part of the DNA of a CA, intrinsically tied to who we are and what we stand for.
A focus on trust
Last year’s Eldelman Trust Barometer found that 46% of the public believe the system is failing them.
During his speech at the last year’s launch of the CA Agenda, David Nussbaum CA, Chief Executive of The Elders and Deputy Chair of the Board of the International Integrated Reporting Council, made the point that there is a crisis of trust in the system and it is up to us to do something about it.
Action is already being taken in this respect, with Sir Donald Brydon’s recently published report on his Independent Review into the Quality and Effectiveness of Audit. The report recommends a redefinition of audit and its purpose, representing the perfect opportunity for a re-evaluation of the system to make it work for all and ensure it is not self-serving. This ongoing debate and the branching issues of trust is an arena which ICAS will continue to influence.
ICAS is pleased to announce that Sir Donald will be appearing as part of The Future of Audit panel in April.
The future of technology
On the theme of technology, ICAS has experienced some of its own advancements in the field over the past few months. We were delighted to launch our revitalised website which adopted the new ICAS brand, providing a modern and relevant look and feel to reflect our aspirations as an institution.
The ICAS app went live just before the festive period as did our exclusive member forum CA Connect, which I am happy to see CAs have embraced. We are also looking to leverage the vast talent pool that is our membership to join the ICAS mentor programme, and through CA Connect the process couldn’t be simpler.
Simply register your interest to become a mentor on your CA Connect profile and a member of our team will be in touch to take you through the next steps.
As a preview of some of the CA Agenda activity planned over the next few months, I am excited to announce that ICAS will be launching the CA Agenda podcast.
The podcast will bring together the brightest minds in the worlds of business, accounting and technology to discuss key issues facing the modern business professional. This is a first for ICAS and we hope that it will provide members with an up-to-date way to consume the in-depth thought leadership content they expect from us.
A refreshed approach
In addition to our new digital offering, you may have noticed a change to our most valued analogue product. The new-look CA Magazine dropped on members’ doormats at the end of last month offering members a refreshed and modern content offering.
We also have a number of events planned throughout the year which are centred around and informed by the agenda, with details to be released soon.
As always, we encourage our members to get in touch to discuss any ideas they may have for the next CA Agenda article, interview, podcast or event. Your feedback helps us to provide you with the content and support you need to flourish in your career and beyond.