The financial accounting system we use today is hurtling towards irrelevance, undermined by the very inequality to which it has contributed. It's time to change how profit is calculated – before it's too late.
Head of Harvard Business School’s Impact-Weighted Accounts Project sets out his vision for true impact transparency as he emphasises that existing sustainability accounting approaches focus too much on risk.
GDP up, good; GDP down, bad? Not so simple, especially when assessing citizens’ wellbeing. Many alternative measures aim to fill that gap, but none can entirely replace GDP, writes our columnist – and in any case, the real issue lies deeper...
Our financial accounting systems were designed by white men, for white men – with disastrous implications for people and planet. Could a gender lens help us reshape an accounting system built on empathy and that works for the majority?
The education offered to future business leaders, accountants and financiers is “deeply acultural, secular and exclusive”. Faith-based approaches could guide a new model – one that nourishes trust, respects nature and builds a sustainable economy.
Intangible assets have become a major consideration for investors, making up 90% of all enterprise value on the S&P 500. Yet our accounting system has failed to adapt, with real implications for sustainability. Our columnist suggests a simple fix.
We need ‘warrior accountants’ who must do more than help “standardise ESG”, warns Jeremy Nicholls. The risks of depending on declining environmental resources or below-standard working conditions must also be “managed and reported".
Are basic accounting tasks becoming a hassle for your social enterprise? The latest installment of our Digital Toolbox series has tips on simplifying your accounting by moving it into the cloud.
