ACCA, Carnegie Council, and CFA Institute join forces to shine a light on ethics on Global Ethics Day on October 17, 2018

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ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)

Sep 17, 2018, 07:15 ET

NEW YORK and LONDON, Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ACCA (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, and CFA Institute will mark Global Ethics Day on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 by exploring how businesses are preparing for an ethical future in the face of threats and challenges presented by globalization, technology, and human psychology.

Beginning with a series of "follow the sun" events on Global Ethics Day, the three are producing a film interview series, Ethics in business: in their own words, featuring a number of global CEOs discussing the greatest ethical challenge facing their respective organizations: Helen Brand OBE, chief executive of ACCA; Paul Smith, president and CEO of CFA Institute; and, David MacLennan, chairman and CEO of Cargill.

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

"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," said Helen Brand OBE, ACCA's chief executive. "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."

She added, "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 organize 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-centered 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," said Paul Smith, president and CEO, CFA Institute. 'We are pleased to join with ACCA and the Carnegie Council to promote Global Ethics Day. At CFA Institute, we 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."

The organizations are using the hashtag #globalethicsday2018 to celebrate the day.

About ACCA

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants, offering business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.

ACCA supports its 208,000 members and 503,000 students in 179 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 104 offices and centers and more than 7,300 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and conducts relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence.

ACCA is currently introducing major innovations to its flagship qualification to ensure its members and future members continue to be the most valued, up to date and sought-after accountancy professionals globally. Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. More information is here: www.accaglobal.com

About Carnegie Council

Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1914, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is a forum for the world's leading thinkers, experts and decision makers. Through lectures, workshops, panel discussions, conferences, interviews, articles and a wealth of free multimedia online resources, the Council has earned a reputation as an honest, objective voice for ethics in international affairs. www.carnegiecouncil.org

Held every October, Global Ethics Day provides an opportunity for organizations around the world to hold events on or around this day, exploring ethics in action in world affairs.

About CFA

CFA Institute is the global association of investment professionals that sets the standard for professional excellence and credentials. The organization is a champion for ethical behaviour in investment markets and a respected source of knowledge in the global financial community. The end goal: to create an environment where investors' interests come first, markets function at their best, and economies grow. CFA Institute has more than 155,000 members in 165 countries and territories, including 150,000 CFA® charterholders, and 151 member societies. www.cfainstitute.org.

SOURCE ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)