New Partnership Between AICPA & CIMA and University of Oxford's Saïd Business School Will Help Improve Sustainable Accounting Across the World

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Feb 21, 2023, 08:29 ET

Executive Management Program in Sustainability for Accounting and Finance Professionals is Part of a Broader Strategic Collaboration Planned Between the Two Parties

NEW YORK and OXFORD, England, Feb. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A new partnership between the world's most influential association for the accountancy profession and the world's most prestigious university will equip finance professionals with the tools and knowledge to make businesses more sustainable.

AICPA & CIMA, which together form the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School will jointly offer a new executive management program in sustainability for accounting and finance professionals.

The program, expected to launch later this year, is meant for professionals in mid- to senior-level career roles, such as CFOs, board members and chief accounting officers. It will be taught online through live classes, giving participants access to faculty members with world-leading expertise in sustainability issues, and an unparalleled opportunity to develop a global network of contacts with their peers. Graduates of the program will earn a certificate jointly signed by Oxford Saïd and AICPA & CIMA.

"Simply put, this exciting collaboration will help to improve the world we live in," said Soumitra Dutta, dean of Said Business School. "With our school's world-class teaching, we will equip accounting and finance professionals across the globe with the skills and knowledge they need to better focus businesses on their social and environmental impact. I cannot imagine a more important time for such a program, as we all face the very real dangers of the growing climate crisis."

The program is intended to:

Equip aspiring professionals with subject matter expertise, insight and practical knowledge to support and lead their organization's response to sustainability issues
Alert employers and prospective employers that certificate holders possess a deep understanding of how sustainability issues affect their organization's ability to create long-term value, with relevant implications for decision-making and resource allocation
Deepen a professional accountant's ability to apply his or her business skills to sustainability issues, which will have a profound effect on organizational business models

"As we move closer to global sustainability standards, there is high demand for accounting and finance leaders who can successfully navigate this dramatic shift to greater organizational transparency beyond traditional financial metrics," said Andrew Harding, FCMA, CGMA, AICPA & CIMA's CEO of management accounting. "Our new program will give key players in this transformation the skills they need to build trust with stakeholders and provide consistent, comparable information to develop strategies and shape decisions related to sustainability."

Students from the program will also benefit from joining a dynamic and impactful global alumni network – the Oxford Saïd Elumni Network - once they complete their studies. Commenting on this opportunity, Dutta added: "It will be a pleasure to see this community grow, as participants complete their studies and go on to form a powerful network of sustainable accounting alumni, who will continue a lifelong connection, underpinned by professional and personal development."

AICPA & CIMA and Oxford Saïd plan to explore other joint executive management programs relating to management accounting and the future of finance.

About Saïd Business School:

Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford blends the best of new and old. We are a young, vibrant, and entrepreneurial business school deeply embedded in the world's most prestigious university. We deliver cutting-edge education and ground-breaking research that transform individuals, organisations, business practice, and society. We educate people for successful business careers and, as a community, we seek to harness our collective expertise and knowledge to help solve pressing global issues such as demographic change, natural resource scarcity and technological challenges. www.sbs.ox.ac.uk

About the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and AICPA & CIMA

The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association), representing AICPA & CIMA, advances the global accounting and finance profession through its work on behalf of 689,000 AICPA and CIMA members, students and engaged professionals in 196 countries and territories. Together, we are the worldwide leader on public and management accounting issues through advocacy, support for the CPA license and specialized credentials, professional education and thought leadership. We build trust by empowering our members and engaged professionals with the knowledge and opportunities to be leaders in broadening prosperity for a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future.

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the world's largest member association representing the CPA profession, sets ethical standards for its members and U.S. auditing standards for private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and federal, state and local governments. It also develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination and builds the pipeline of future talent for the public accounting profession.

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the world's leading and largest professional body of management accountants. CIMA works closely with employers and sponsors leading-edge research, constantly updating its professional qualification and professional experience requirements to ensure it remains the employer's choice when recruiting financially trained business leaders.

SOURCE AICPA & CIMA