ACCA launches Global Forums to discuss vital issues for business

Ten new Global Forums have been launched by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) to bring together expertise from all sectors around the world to tackle issues crucial to the finance profession and business. The Global Forums will help to develop ACCA’s work to influence government, policy makers and businesses on key issues and contribute to ACCA’s Research and Insights projects and initiatives.

The Forums will meet on a regular basis to further the thinking on current and future issues in a number of specific technical subject areas, as well the accountancy and finance profession more widely. They will have an international remit to develop views which support the needs of business globally, with an increasing emphasis on emerging markets.

ACCA believes that issues are very frequently local and will continue to pursue a local agenda, where appropriate, within this new framework, especially in areas such as tax, regulation and SME matters.

The new Forums will also help ACCA with its aim to strengthen its local contributions by drawing on thinking and best practice from around the world to inform its insight.

As part of the initiative, two new areas – Accountants for Business and Accountancy Futures - will be regularly discussed by leading finance professionals and academics.

Neil Stevenson, Executive Director- Brand with ACCA, said:  “We are delighted that the Global Forums have already attracted a wealth of experience and expertise from diverse backgrounds. They will be ideally placed to look at important issues will be very effective in helping to shape and inform ACCA’s global policy.”

The Global Forums are: The Accountancy Futures Academy; Accountants for Business Global Forum, and global forums for Governance Risk and Performance, Corporate reporting, Audit and Assurance, Sustainability; Business Law, Public Sector, Taxation and SMEs.

The Forums are:

Accountants for Business – Chaired by Richard Moat FCCA, former CFO and Deputy CEO of Everything Everywhere. The Forum is a business focused think tank, which reflects ACCA’s belief in the value that sound financial management brings to business.  Representatives of global business and corporate stakeholders come together to explore the complex issues affecting accountants and the businesses they serve.

Accountancy Futures Academy - Chaired by Ng Boon Yew, Executive Chairman, Raffles Campus, Singapore. This Academy will work to develop ACCA’s Research and Insights programme by identifying issues of major significance for the global accountancy profession. It will also develop a network of potential high-level contributors to ACCA’s work, and will ensure the overall quality of ACCA’s Research and Insights outputs.

Global Forum for Governance, Risk and Performance - Chaired by Adrian Berendt, Executive Director of LCH Clearnet, the Forum will work to show how professional accountants can support ethical, sustainable business and enhance their value to their employers and other stakeholders.

Global Forum for Corporate Reporting - Chaired by Lorraine Holleway, Finance Manager of Royal Dutch Shell, this Forum will reflect the fact that corporate reporting is of increasing importance, especially with the continuing globalisation of standards, developments in integrated reporting and a drive to ensure the relevance of reporting to investors. The Forum will work to influence the development of IFRS and it will also work to identify, evaluate and champion enhanced forms of reporting which are crucial to bringing value to investors, business and the public.

Global Forum for Audit and Assurance - Chaired by Robert Stenhouse, Director, National Accounting and Audit at Deloitte, this Forum will provide input into audit standards-setting, in particular to influence the development of International Standards on Audit (ISAs). It will also work to identify, evaluate and champion new and alternative forms of assurance which bring value to investors, business and the public.

Global Forum for Sustainability - Chaired by David Nussbaum, Chief Executive of the World Wildlife Fund-UK, this Forum will continue ACCA’s long history of promoting transparency and accountability on sustainability issues, and the role of the professional accountant. ACCA has been at the forefront of sustainability issues since 1990, so the Forum will be building on strong foundations. It will debate trends and developments in sector-specific areas, and develop leading positions on relevant issues related to the broad topic of sustainability.

Global Forum for Business Law - Chaired by Faris Dean, of solicitors Lyons Davidson, this Forum will work to reflect the fact that the business world is becoming increasingly global, there are more and more areas of the law, such as money laundering – that are becoming effectively standardised. This Forum will examine issues about the legal implications of doing business, fighting corruption and financial crime and challenging red tape.

Global Forum for the Public Sector - Chaired by Datuk Wan Selamah Wan Sulaiman, the Accountant General of Malaysia, this Forum will champion the many issues affecting the public sector around the world, including financing, governance and capacity in the delivery of public services.

Global Forum for SMEs - Chaired by Mark Gold, Senior Partner with Silver Levene and immediate past President of ACCA, this Forum will identify the needs of SMEs around the world and argue for policy makers to put this vital sector at the forefront of public policy.

Global Forum for Taxation - Chaired by Mukesh Gunamal, Director of Global Tax Quality and Risk Managerment, Ernst & Young, this Forum will provide a basis for lobbying internationally for transparent and simple tax systems, and will discuss developments and trends in this often contentious area, from personal taxation, to tax regimes for SMEs and for large corporates.