How Accountants Can Change the World

Daniel Lecky weighs in on How Accountants Can Change the World.

November 2021

When I first started to think about this question, I originally viewed it in a Macro sense: do we as accountants want to be at the fore of environmentalism or Fintech, driving not-for-profit organisations or helping to develop future governmental policies; the areas of influence are as numerous as the opportunities. This though, reminded me once again that our skill set as accountants are ultimately required no matter what type of organisation, market or sector you are involved in.

And isn’t that really how accountants change the world, one life at a time, their own. That ultimately each time a young person sits there deciding “what do I do with my life?”, that by choosing to become an accountant, that the value of our chosen profession to them is, that even if they aren’t sure what they want to do or know where their life could end up, they will be equipped to provide value and insight no matter where they find themselves. That they can pack a bag and fly to the other side of the world and get a job in one of the best and most historical cities in the world. Or perhaps they would rather stay put, but focus on providing for a future family. Ultimately the choice is theirs, but it’s all possible with that designation of “CA” attached to their name.

That’s why I am so glad to see that last year Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand re-designed its CA program to be more flexible and supportive for new candidates, reflecting the changing demands and needs of the 21st century student and market. Part of this was the instigation of the CA Foundations pathway to help bridge eligibility into the CA Programme for those that didn’t complete an accredited degree or qualification. Any way that we can open up to encourage a wider membership base, the better.

So what can we do as individuals then? Encourage school aged children to learn to love maths; encourage those in college to choose Accountancy and Economics; talk about what we do at work, to show that being an accountant is more than green pens and calculators, that we are involved in real decision making and that we have influence; encourage a focus at the government level on education that every penny spent pays back ten-fold; and ultimately as member bodies do all we can to make membership more appealing to younger generations. If we help them, then we change the world.

By Daniel Leckey