CPA Ireland

Hometree’s purpose is land regeneration, how does this align with your company/organisation?
At CPA Ireland we want to ensure the accountant of the future is equipped with the skills needed to support and influence the sustainability strategies of the companies they work for. To do this we have introduced the topic of sustainability reporting to our new syllabus and have entwined this topic through subjects such as Strategy and Leadership and Advanced Financial Reporting.

What is inspiring you to work with a regeneration process like Hometree?
While we have introduced sustainability to our syllabus to give our trainee accountants these skills, we also want to stay true to these values by having a successful sustainability strategy for CPA Ireland as an organisation and workplace. To achieve this, we are currently carrying out a sustainability audit of the organisation and are hoping to reduce our carbon footprint by introducing some offsets such as the amazing work of Hometree by planting a tree for every student registering with us this year.

Some of the trees you are planting you will not see mature, together we are working towards more abundant and biodiverse future, in three or four sentences please describe what you would like to invite into the future?
A world where business and nature can co-exist in a more considerate and sustainable way and where the environment is at the forefront of business decisions.

List two ways you support this invitation at present?
Being at the forefront of change on sustainability matters in the accountancy profession in Ireland such as including sustainability as a core topic among our syllabus. Plant a tree for every student registered with us.

Other than Hometree can you celebrate other ways you or your organisation supports a healthier environment?
As a Professional Accountancy Body with over 5000 members and students we can lead both future and current members in the area of sustainability. In 2021, we have committed to carrying out a sustainability audit of the organisation and will look at offsetting strategies in 2022.

Have there been any key moments that you can share about how you or your organisation decided to support a more abundant and healthier world?
The launch of our “Ready to Face the Future of Accounting” syllabus including sustainability as a core topic.

The CPA Ireland Sustainability Conference for business leaders, CPA members and students held in November 2020.

We’d love to hear and share any key lessons that life has taught you, in as little or man words as you like.
The pandemic and working from home really showed us as an organisation that once you have the right people you can achieve your goals in any circumstances, and we hope to bring that drive and enthusiasm to CPA Ireland’s sustainability strategy.