This is the fourth year that ACCA has actively supported Global Ethics Day – an initiative from the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs.
The day – 21 October – provides organisations with the opportunity to explore the meaning of ethics in the context of their profession, and previous years have seen conferences, radio programmes, lectures and debates across companies, institutes, universities and public bodies.
This year, ACCA’s events will look quite different, with Covid-19 restrictions meaning that events now have to be virtual. Here’s a breakdown of what members can expect from the day.
Join the Big Conversation
The Big Conversation aims to discuss ethics, sustainability and the role of the profession in a more ethical and sustainable world, as well as to inspire members to take individual action.
The day will kick off with a webinar for members in which Jimmy Greer, ACCA’s head of sustainability, will discuss three questions with global panel members:
- What are the most pressing ethical and sustainability challenges?
- Do you feel business is committed to a sustainable recovery post-pandemic?
- What is the role for accountants in this?
The webinar will feature live-audience polls, the results of which will be shared on social media, where members and others are encouraged to continue the discussion.
ACCA is also encouraging members to keep the conversation going by hosting community events with colleagues or classmates. These conversations will continue until the end of 2020, with feedback shaping how ACCA helps members to be ethical.
Screen time
Hosted by ACCA Hong Kong, this year’s Ethics Film Festival will be the first to be held virtually. Participants will join a Netflix watch party for the screening, followed by the option to join panel discussions on Zoom (available on-demand afterwards).
Multiple screenings will be held at different times for two documentaries. Rotten: Troubled Water is an exploration of the explosive growth of the bottled water industry and its effect on vulnerable citizens; while The Bleeding Edge is an exposé focusing on the profit-driven mindset in the medical device industry and its link to dangerous implants (find reviews of the films in AB later this month).
The two documentaries aim to inspire discussions on the way we do business, the new opportunities for change as a result of the pandemic and the adaptations required to secure a sustainable future.
Professional insights
ACCA is choosing the period around Global Ethics Day to launch three new professional insights reports. The first is on mainstreaming impact, and how companies can account for their environmental footprint; the second is on the ethical tenet of business law; and the third is a white paper discussing the possibilities for an ethical economic recovery from Covid-19.
The white papers will be shared across the organisation and used to engage with regulators over the next few years.
The write stuff
ACCA Hong Kong and the CFA Institute have joined forces to launch an essay competition focusing on ethics and integrity in finance.
Members were encouraged to express their thoughts and share best thinking in submissions of up to 1,500 words.
The goal of the competition is to strengthen the sustainability of ethics in business, reinforce its implementation and promote awareness of the benefits of strengthening ethical approaches.
Wherever you are in the network, register here to join us on Global Ethics Day and share your views.
