The Prince's Accounting for Sustainability Project

The AICPA is a member of the Accounting Bodies Network, established by The Prince's Accounting for Sustainability Project (A4S) to bring together the largest accounting bodies from across the globe, to help minimize the duplication of initiatives undertaken in isolation and achieve a common approach to accounting for sustainability.  The AICPA asked the Center for Business Excellence to represent it at its initial Forum in December 2008.

Established by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2004, the Project develops practical guidance and tools to enable environmental and social performance to be better connected with strategy and financial performance, and thereby embedded into day-to-day operations and decision making. Its purpose, as His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales said at its launch, is "to help ensure that we are not battling to meet 21st century challenges with, at best, 20th century decision making and reporting systems."

A4S has released the connected reporting ‘how to’ guidewhich incorporates three industry examples and includes anon-line interactive version containing examples of real-life reporting. It has also launched a book of case studies,"Accounting for Sustainability: Practical Insights" which presents examples of how several leading public and private sector organizations have used accounting for sustainability tools and principles to embed sustainability into their mainstream decision-making and reporting.

A4S has collaborated with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and other global organizations to establish an "International Integrated Reporting Committee" (IIRC).

In 2011 A4S launched a community website in collaboration with the International Federation of Accountants. This will be a vibrant community for anyone with an interest in accounting for sustainability to discuss and share ideaswww.theiirc.org.

Helpful Links:

A4S Linked In page. 

A4S Twitter page. 

A4S YouTube channel.