We are a professional membership organisation, supporting over 138,000 chartered accountants around the world. Through our technical knowledge, skills and expertise, we provide insight and leadership to the global accountancy and finance profession.
Our members provide financial knowledge and guidance based on the highest professional, technical and ethical standards. We develop and support individuals, organisations and communities to help them achieve long-term, sustainable economic value.
Because of us, people can do business with confidence.
- Key facts about ICAEW
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Name: ICAEW (The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales)
Founded: 1880
Headquarters: Chartered Accountants' Hall, London
Offices: UK, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore
Members: Over 138,000 chartered accountants around the world
- Governance
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The Council is ICAEW’s supreme governing body, responsible for oversight of its activities. Council agrees ICAEW’s strategy and budget, delegating day to day operation to committees and staff.
The majority of Council is elected by ICAEW members, supplemented by co-opted and ex officio members. This is to ensure that Council represents the main sectors and interests of the whole membership.
ICAEW’s Board has overall responsibility for ICAEW’s planning and budgeting process and the development of policy.
It is supported by four boards that oversee the main areas of ICAEW activity - Professional Standards Board, Learning and Professional Development, Member Services and the Technical Strategy.
The Executive Leadership Team is responsible for the delivery of ICAEW’s operational plan. It also has an important role in helping to shape ICAEW strategy. It is supported by the management team which includes Departmental Directors.
- Committees
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Committees at ICAEW are one of the ways that members can become involved in their institute. Committees are used to develop policy, to seek views on current issues, to draw on members’ technical expertise and to handle disciplinary matters.
There are also three committees that support the running of ICAEW and which report directly to council – the audit committee, the nominating committee and the senior staff appointments committee.
All of the committees’ responsibilities and terms of reference are set out in a formal scheme of delegations.
- Vision, mission and values
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Our vision is for ICAEW to be acknowledged as leading the global accountancy and finance profession, so people can do business with confidence.
We will achieve this by fulfilling the objectives set out in our Royal Charter. These are to:-
- Advance the theory and practice of accountancy, finance, business and commerce.
- Recruit, educate and train a body of members skilled in accountancy and finance.
- Preserve at all times the professional independence of accountants.
- Maintain high standards of practice and professional conduct by all members.
- Advance the profession of accountancy.
We believe in acting responsibly, in the best interests of our members and the general public. We act with integrity, creating effective partnerships with organisations and communities worldwide to ensure the highest technical, professional and ethical standards.
- History
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Although accountancy is hundreds of years old, it wasn’t until after the middle of the 19th century that the professional accountant became recognised. ICAEW was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria in 1880, giving our members the right to use the designation ‘chartered accountant’.
Many of the founding fathers of the ‘Big Four’ accountancy firms were early ICAEW presidents - names such as Arthur Cooper, Frederick Whinney, William Welch Deloitte and Sir William Peat.
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1880 On 11 May ICAEW was granted a Royal Charter recognising its 'pre-eminence, stability and permanence' as well as defining its public interest remit.
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1893 Chartered Accountants' Hall, in the City of London, was completed to the design of the eminent Victorian architect, Sir John Belcher RA.
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1919 Mary Harris Smith is admitted to ICAEW, becoming the first female chartered accountant in the world.
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1930 The first extension to Chartered Accountant's Hall is built by J.J. Joass.
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1970 The extended and new building at Chartered Accountants’ Hall is opened by Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
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1999 Baronness Noakes is the first woman to become president of ICAEW.
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2006 ICAEW are appointed by the European Commission to study the implementation of IFRS throughout the European Union.
Learn more about
For more information contact library@icaew.com
- Annual review 2011 and AGM 2012
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2011/2012
Economically it's been a very mixed picture for our members throughout the world. If you are in the more mature markets of Europe or North America, growth has been a hard-to-find commodity. Whereas in the emerging markets, growth has continued with only a minor hiccup during the financial crisis of the past three years. And the fortunes of our members, and indeed ICAEW, have very much reflected the underlying economic conditions.
2010/2011
In 2010, many of the world's economies shifted from recession to recovery – while others, particularly in South East Asia and China, powered ahead.
It was also a year in which the long-term legacies of the financial crisis started to crystallise. On the positive side, there has been a renewed demand for leadership and business skills, and for better financial management, particularly in the public sector of those countries where there is a need for fiscal consolidation.
- Job vacancies
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Headquartered in the UK, we also have offices in Brussels, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.