Good intentions are ‘disconnected from the pace of climate action that is urgently needed’, says new research

Research from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) amongst 79 accountants and finance professionals in Nigeria reveals that just 13% of the organisations they work for have set targets to be net zero compliant by 2050. The figure across the whole of Africa is 10%.

But the good news is that 100% of Nigerian respondents say it’s important that accountancy and finance teams are involved in supporting their organisations to tackle climate change. And 77% say their organisation will be willing to invest much more than today in addressing climate change over the next three to five years – compared to just 38% globally.

These revealing facts in ACCA’s new report Climate action and the accountancy profession: building a sustainable futurecome ahead of the COP26 summit which begins on 31 October in Glasgow, Scotland.

The key findings and the opinions from participants from both the public and private sectors, in organisations large and small, reveal the gapbetween the good intentions of organisations, and the urgent and speedy need for climate action.

Helen Brand OBE, chief executive of ACCA, says: ‘There’s a critical need for leaders, whether in governments, the private or public sectors, to grasp the scale of this challenge and to respond to it. The accountancy profession has a critical role to play in this, both to lead long-term value creation in sustainable economies, and to champion responsible practices for the public good.’

The report highlights that accountancy and finance professionals can bring an integrated approach that places sustainability at the heart of organisational decision making, rather than it being an additional consideration. This approach links strategy and governanceto data-driven decision making and rigorous measurement of performance using science-based targets, coherent reporting and trustworthy assurance of information used by stakeholders.

Thomas Isibor, head of ACCA Nigeria adds: ‘Very few organisations are progressing at the pace and scale needed to counter the devastating and world-altering threats climate change is posing. Organisations must leverage the expertise of accountancy and finance professionals to increase the pace of climate action. This is needed to future proof their organisations and to delivervalue while coexisting with natural ecosystems.’

For Nigeria, the report reveals that:

• 39% integrate climate key performance indicators (KPIs) into their business strategy and/or risk frameworks.
• 27% say that climate change considerations play a significant role in financial decision-making in their organisation.
• 49% say the impact will come through physical effects of climate change such as changing weather patterns, extreme heat or flooding.
• 44% believe climate change regulation – in the form of climate pricing or new reporting requirements – will impact their organisation over the next five years.
• 85% say it’s important that their future career involves taking action on climate change.

Despite the appetite of finance teams to support their organisations, they also feel that there are barriers to be overcome – the most cited one(47%) being an internal organisational perception that climate action wasnot viewed as the responsibility of the finance team. Lack of commercial incentive around climate action (28%), a lack of support from leadership (39%), poor data to work with (37%), and their own lack of professional skills in the area of expertise (24%) were also seen as barriers. Only 17% said there were no barriers.

Thomas Isibor comments: ‘While some of these findings are concerning, there’s a clear will amongst all our respondents to be more involved – there are opportunities ahead for a new purpose for organisations, a new way for them to operate, and an opportunity for accountancy and finance professionals to provide leadership. Their ability to drive strategy and decision making by connecting financial and non-financial information into a coherent narrative, ethical lens, andtrustworthy assurance of information will play a key role. Our report includes practical tips and guidance on reshapingorganisationsfor a post-fossil fuel economyand the skills and mindset needed for this.’

As part of its commitment to the UN SDGs ACCA aims to become net zero by 2030. It will report on progress in its annual integrated report. As a member of the A4S Accounting Bodies Network (ABN), ACCA has also joined 12 other accountancy bodies to committo achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within their own organisations, as well as provide an enabling environment for their membership to do the same.

About ACCA

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global professional body for professional accountants.We’re a thriving global community of 233,000 members and 536,000 future members based in 178countries and regions, who work across a wide range of sectors and industries. We uphold the highest professional and ethical values.

We offer everyone everywhere the opportunity to experience a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. Our qualifications and learning opportunities develop strategic business leaders, forward-thinking professionalswith the financial, business and digital expertise essential for the creation of sustainable organisations and flourishing societies.Since 1904, being a force for public good has been embedded in our purpose.In December 2020, we made commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goalswhich we are measuring and will report on in our annual integrated report.

We believe that accountancy is a cornerstone profession of society and isvital helping economies, organisations and individuals to grow and prosper. It does this by creating robust trusted financial and business management, combating corruption, ensuring organisations are managed ethically, driving sustainability, and providing rewarding career opportunities.And through our cutting-edge research, we lead the profession by answering today’s questions and preparing for the future. We’re a not-for-profit organisation. Find out more at accaglobal.com