ACCA, Carnegie Council and CFA Institute join forces to shine a light on ethics

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has teamed up with Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs and CFA Institute to celebrate this year’s Global Ethics Day.

To mark the landmark occasion on 17 October, the organisations will be exploring how businesses are preparing for an ethical future in the face of threats and challenges presented by globalisation, technology and human psychology.

Beginning with a series of ‘follow the sun’ events on Global Ethics Day itself, the three organisations are also producing a film interview series called‘Ethics in business: in their own words’ which will feature a number of global CEOs, including: Helen Brand OBE, chief executive of ACCA, Paul Smith, president and CEO of CFA Institute and David MacLennan, chairman and CEO of Cargill discussing the greatest ethical challenge facing their respective organisations.

ACCA Singapore and ACCA Hong Kong will also be running film festivals throughout October, showcasing documentaries Banking on Bitcoin (2016), a film about the cyber and digital monetary revolution; Big Men (2014), focusing on oil discovery in Africa and balancing risk and reward; and The Price We Pay (2014), where the impact of tax avoidance and offshoring by big business is analysed.

Helen Brand OBE, ACCA’s chief executive, said: “This is the fifth anniversary of Global Ethics Day, and an opportunity for us all to stop and think ahead to the ethical challenges we face and how we can all work together to tackle them.

“Ethics and professionalism are the foundations of the accountancy profession, although they are of course far from exclusive to accountancy. And having strong ethical principles is at the heart of the ACCA Qualification, giving ACCA professional accountants the clear moral compass to guide the business decisions they make on a daily basis. But a strong ethical mindset is not immune to challenges.

“This day is to remind individuals and businesses of their ethical responsibilities and highlight why doing the right thing is so important. And this is why ACCA is supporting Global Ethics Day 2018, working with Carnegie and CFA Institute to shine a spotlight on all things ethical.”

Joel H. Rosenthal, president of Carnegie Council, said: “This is a great opportunity to organise a global conversation on the evolving role of business in society. Ethics is no longer a downside proposition focussing only on compliance and risk. It is now about opportunity. It is now about creating a sense of purpose rooted in human-centred values and these values empower businesses to improve the lives of shareholders and stakeholders alike.

“At CFA Institute, ethics and professionalism have always been an integral part of our curriculum and are core to our life as a professional membership body,” says Paul Smith, president and CEO, CFA Institute. “We are pleased to join with ACCA and the Carnegie Council to promote Global Ethics Day. We at CFA Institute seek to promote the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence in the Investment Management Industry, and so we are proud to join this effort.”