The largest global member body of accountants and finance professionals, AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, today hosted members and industry leaders in Accra to discuss Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and how African businesses, including finance and accounting professionals, can tap into this.

The hybrid event was attended by CIMA members and partners from the West African regions and beyond, including speakers; Dr Jeremy Osborn, FCMA, CGMA, CPA (Aust.), Global Head of ESG at AICPA & CIMA; Mr Kwame Sarpong Barnieh, CPA, CGMA, Partner in charge of Governance, Risk and Compliance Services at KPMG Ghana; Ms Antoinette Kwofie, ACMA, CGMA, Chief Finance Officer at MTN Ghana; and Mr Joseph Amo Adjei, Manager, Risk Governance, ESG and Sustainability at Stanbic Bank Ghana.

Paul Aninakwah, ACMA, CGMA, Country Director-Ghana, Benin, Cameroon & Sierra Leone – Africa at AICPA & CIMA, together with the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, said:

“The African continent presents many more opportunities for investors to make a positive environmental and social impact than in any other region in the world. However, this will require careful oversight, including access to skills and knowledge in business and financial management.

“As a result, demand for skilled business finance and accounting professionals will rise, but these professionals will have a critical responsibility to ensure that the organisations they work for operate in a sustainable manner.  

"It is important that they are adequately prepared to be able to assess risks and opportunities and can navigate ESG requirements to gain the trust of business leaders, stakeholders and investors. Today’s event showcased the need for education and action”.

Tariro Mutizwa, ACMA, CGMA, Regional Vice President – Africa at AICPA & CIMA, together as the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, added:

“As a worldwide leader in public and management accounting issues, AICPA & CIMA, through the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, is enabling the accountancy profession to help businesses, governments and organisations manage ESG issues.

"We are stepping up efforts with our members and students in Africa to provide the skills and competencies they need to help organisations and economies grow sustainably.

"We are pleased to have hosted members and partners at today’s event to bring attention to the challenges and opportunities ESG represents and the need for greater education in this field. I hope our guests appreciated the valuable insights delivered by our speakers”.

AICPA & CIMA is helping businesses take personal and professional advantage through the provision of educational courses and certificates, namely:

• Fundamentals of ESG Certificate to help accounting and finance professionals embrace ESG. The program offers a first step in the learning journey for the high-growth area of sustainability reporting and assurance. 
• Through our Strategic partnership with the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School to equip accounting and finance professionals with the tools and knowledge to make businesses more sustainable; we are jointly offering a new Online ESG & Sustainable Financial Strategy Course, giving participants access to faculty members with world-leading expertise in sustainability issues, and an unparalleled opportunity to develop a global peer group.
• Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) Credential, we are offering this to our members at a special discounted price through working with the IFRS Foundation.

Additional ESG-related learning resources including conferences and thought leadership papers can be found on the AICPA & CIMA website.