SUSTAINABILITY NOW A ‘CORE COMPETENCY’ FOR CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
With climate-related financial disclosures now mandatory for many entities in Australia and New Zealand, the peak body for Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand has launched a free Sustainability Playbook at its inaugural Sustainability Conference being held in Sydney and online today.
The Conference and Playbook mark a major step in CA ANZ’s strategic focus to embed sustainability as a core competency for the accounting profession. This follows the introduction of a Sustainability Resource Centre, sustainability CPD micro courses, comprehensive guides on climate-related disclosures, and a dedicated sustainability elective in the prestigious CA Program.
CA ANZ also recently announced a partnership with Australian Stock Exchange and the UN Global Compact Network Australia to support a new initiative designed to fast-track Australian business leadership on climate and sustainability reporting.
“As the global economy transitions to net zero, sustainability is no longer a niche topic; it’s a mainstream professional competency,” said CEO of Chartered Accountants ANZ, Ainslie van Onselen.
“We are moving through a ‘once-in-a-generation’ change to corporate reporting and Chartered Accountants are uniquely positioned to lead the way through reporting, assurance, strategy and governance.
“But regardless of mandatory or technical requirements, Chartered Accountants also have a strategic role to play in empowering organisations to navigate opportunities and risks associated with existing and emerging social and environmental issues.
“With more than 90 per cent of CFO’s globally saying ESG issues will be a major focus for their organisations over the next five years, our aim is to support our members to deepen their understanding of climate, nature and social issues, and equip them to navigate these complexities with clarity and precision – the hallmark of Chartered Accountants.”
This Playbook is designed to help Chartered Accountants take their first steps as sustainability experts. It explains how the profession intersects with sustainability, how to apply these principles in daily work, and how to measure the impact and build future skills. It also explores how finance teams are evolving to increase their sustainability expertise, how this brings value to the business and features real-world case studies of real-world applications.
Today’s Sustainability Conference explores the theme ‘From Insight to Impact: Leading the Change,’ with a range of international and local experts coming together to analyse the future of sustainability across Australia, New Zealand and beyond.
Ms van Onselen, opening the Conference said:
“Sustainability has become central to how organisations operate, with Chartered Accountants remaining trusted advisors during this important evolution.
“The CA ANZ Sustainability Conference will shine a light on the growing role of Chartered Accountants to ensure sustainable outcomes for organisations,” said Ms van Onselen.
“As trusted advisors, you’re not just interpreting numbers – there’s an opportunity here to help shape how the world responds to its most pressing challenges. Which is why sustainability is now embedded in the CA ANZ’s ‘always-on’ education model, alongside taxation, assurance and core accounting areas.”
For more information about the CA ANZ Sustainability Conference 2025, please visit here.
About Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand represents more than 140,000 financial professionals, supporting them to make a difference to the businesses, organisations and communities in which they work and live. Chartered Accountants are known as Difference Makers. The depth and breadth of their expertise helps them to see the big picture and chart the best course of action.
For more information contact:
AUSTRALIA
Gillian Bowen, Public Affairs Lead Australia
M +61 411 485 421
NEW ZEALAND
Daniel Webster, Public Affairs Manager New Zealand
M +64 27 282 6253