A4S partners with ISSB to build capacity for new standards
A4S is delighted to announce its collaboration with the IFRS Foundation to build capacity in finance teams globally, equipping them to provide high quality sustainability reporting. This is in support of the new IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, as part of the broadening of the ISSB Partnership Framework, launched during COP27 last year. A4S’s extensive global networks with the CFO, investor and wider finance and accounting community will play an important role in helping to raise awareness, as well as overcoming practical challenges faced by companies as they seek to implement the standards.
The partnership was announced by Jingdong Hua, Vice Chair, ISSB during one of a series of reporting practitioner workshops being run by A4S for senior finance professionals. The workshops focus on the fundamentals of what is needed to become a sustainable business, and the critical role of the finance team in enabling sustainability reporting to achieve this aspiration.
To further the aims set out in the ISSB Partnership Framework, A4S will focus on equipping finance and accounting teams with the skills needed to implement the standards. A4S will build on its highly regarded education programme to deliver practitioner workshops on reporting, produce practical guidance and case studies, and incorporate the new standards into the syllabus of the A4S Academy.
Jessica Fries, Executive Chair, A4S said, “The adoption of a common set of sustainability standards is essential to enable investors to make informed decisions, assessing and responding to environmental and social risks and opportunities. Through this partnership, A4S will use our extensive experience working within the finance and accounting community to accelerate the adoption and implementation of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, so that the whole community can focus on delivering ambitious targets and action.”
Jingdong Hua, Vice Chair, ISSB said, “As the ISSB heads towards finalizing its first standards, it is essential to ensure that the finance and accounting profession is ready to support their implementation. Accounting for Sustainability (A4S) has done great work in cultivating leaders and advancing best practice. As such, we look forward to collaborating with A4S, as we work to support the high quality implementation of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards around the globe.”
Since the formation of the ISSB, A4S has provided constructive feedback to support the development of an effective, efficient and impactful sustainability reporting system. As part of the public consultation on the two initial IFRS Exposure Drafts, published by the ISSB, A4S convened 86 Chief Financial Officers from around the world and institutional investors representing more than £620 billion in assets under management, to signal support for the establishment of a global baseline for sustainability reporting by the IFRS Foundation. The response called for global alignment on sustainability reporting and for the ISSB to strengthen the proposed IFRS Standards in a number of ways. A4S will continue to provide feedback from the finance community in order to promote an effective, efficient and impactful sustainability reporting system.
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