As advocates of accountancy for a better world, ACCA hosted the Saudi Conference on Accounting and Sustainability for Finance conference in Riyadh yesterday, in collaboration with SOCPA (the Saudi Organization for Chartered and Professional Accountants) to share best practices and opportunities, and support accounting and finance professionals in Saudi and across the Middle East.
As part of ACCA’s events during COP28, the conference was opened with a welcome note from Dr. Saad Alshahrani, Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs and Investment Studies at the Ministry of Investment. In addition, keynote speeches were then delivered by Dr. Ahmed Al-Meghames, CEO of SOCPA (the Saudi Organization for Chartered and Professional Accountants), followed by Badr Almajnouni, Advisor for the Accrual Center, Ministry of Finance, Saudi Arabia and Helen Brand, Chief Executive of ACCA.
Panel discussions addressed the topics of Finance Professionals at the Heart of Sustainable Organisations and Shaping the Future of Accounting and Finance.
Sustainability is one of the burning issues of our time and is an issue that is relevant to us all, regardless of where we live or our career choice. As organisations are rebuilding from the pandemic, there is a growing desire for a transformative and sustainable global recovery, which is providing a fresh focus for organisations to drive forward their position in relation to sustainability.
“Several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) place the responsibility on businesses to consider the effects of their activities and decisions on social and environmental systems. ACCA has a sound framework to support leaders in future-proofing their business and working our way towards a more sustainable world,” said Fazeela Gopalani, Head of ACCA Middle East.
ACCA will be attending the upcoming UN climate change summit in Dubai (COP28) and advocating for global sustainability reporting standards and a just transition to a more sustainable world.
“We’ll be taking part in a number of discussions on these and other topics, including climate finance, to use our global influence to help drive positive change. We’re a strong supporter of global sustainability reporting standards. With members in more than 180 countries, we know they can only be successful if they are widely adopted. So we’re developing a range of resources – from guides to events to learning resources – to help enable the development of the skills and knowledge needed, which we’ll share widely and inclusively,” Gopalani added.
