The accountancy profession has a crucial role to play in helping businesses navigate these risks and adapt to a rapidly changing world. ICAEW invites current students and recently qualified members to share their views and insights on the essay question:
How should the accounting profession help organisations increase their resilience to the effects of environmental risks by changing the way they do business?
Possible areas to explore:
- How can accountants address the interconnected challenges of climate change, nature loss and social inequality?
- What role does the accountancy profession have? How can accountants leverage their position within organisations to drive action on climate & nature?
- Why is a rapid net zero, nature-positive transition needed?
- How can the profession support climate adaptation efforts?
- What are the skills and capabilities the profession needs to achieve this at pace?
- What are the roles of business, government, the public sector, and civil society?
- What are the obstacles/barriers to, and the opportunities of a nature positive, just transition?
- What examples of excellence are there?
ELIGIBILITY
The competition is open to:
- Current university students
- Current ACA students
- Recently qualified members who have obtained their ACA qualification within the last 2 years.
PRIZES
The winning entry will receive £5000.
TIMELINE
The closing date for entry is 13th May 2025. The winner will be announced in late June 2025.
HOW TO APPLY?
In order to apply, and in case of further questions, please email your submission to ellise.aquilina@icaew.com
SUBMISSON GUIDELINES
If you are a current student, please include the name of the university and the course you are studying in the email.
If you are an ICAEW student or a recently qualified member, please include your ICAEW membership number in the email.
If you are submitting a written essay, please keep it to 5,000 words.
If you are submitting a video or a podcast, please keep the length to 20 minutes.
All entries require references to be submitted.
*To read the WEF Global Risk Report 2025, click here
