Our climate champions

Niamh McLernon

Niamh McLernon is a Chartered Accountant working as an ESG Consultant in Belfast within KPMG’s Sustainable Futures team. Her role involves working with companies to develop, embed and report on their Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategies. She is also a member of the Irish task force of FinBiz2030, a joint initiative between One Young World and Chartered Accountants Worldwide with the aim of engaging the finance and business communities globally to achieve the UN Sustainability Development Goals by 2030 (FinBiz2030 - Chartered Accountants Worldwide). 

KPMG Sustainable Futures is an all-island team that was established in direct response to client demand. Social, regulatory and investor pressures mean all businesses will need to respond to ESG topics to stay relevant and drive long-term shareholder value. Organisations that rise to these challenges and show leadership will be rewarded by their stakeholders and gain access to new opportunities. Those businesses that fail to act may put their business models at risk. The team, which brings together a wide range of disciplines including sustainability practitioners, economists, engineers, corporate strategists, accountants and financiers, assist clients in planning and executing solutions that address ESG topics. The team support in a range of areas including  strategy development, sustainable finance, renewable M&A, decarbonisation and circular economy, as well as ESG reporting and assurance. 

"I have a strong personal interest in environmental and social issues, and have made changes within my own lifestyle to try and live more sustainably. The reality of the situation is that climate change has been caused by human activities. Action needs to be taken by all in order to address these issues and build a sustainable world for future generations. Corporates have a huge part to play in this and I feel very lucky that my job involves helping clients set ambitions and improve sustainability performance, knowing it will lead to positive change in the world."

“The ESG agenda is strengthening in importance for all businesses, and I feel very fortunate to be pursuing a career that aligns with my own personal values. It is very rewarding to see clients progress on their own sustainability journey.”

“Being a Chartered Accountant has given me given me many opportunities to meet people in the Chartered Accountants Ireland network. Being a member of FinBiz2030 – a community dedicated to achieving the UN SDGs by 2030 – has allowed me to engage and share ideas with lots of like-minded people.”

"Within the Irish Taskforce I am team member of the Climate Action workstream where our focus is to provide insight on the importance of SDG 13 - Climate Action. Our goal is to raise awareness and empower finance and business professionals to take ownership of the climate crisis in their role whether that is junior staff or C-suite, as well as in their personal lives. The Institute is also doing great work to support its members to drive change, and we would love to see individuals utilising all resources to become more proactive on Climate Action and the UN SDGs."  

"Chartered accountants have a key role to play in shaping the future. Sustainability is something that needs to be measured, reported and assured, and all of these areas fall under a Chartered Accountant’s skillset. When looking to address ESG issues it is important to have accuracy and completeness in the information that is collected and reported. Chartered Accountants also understand the need to be accountable to external stakeholders and always operate to the highest ethical standards, all of which are essential when addressing the sustainability agenda."

"I would encourage my fellow Chartered Accountants to recognise the part they can play and begin to mobilise change within their own organisations."

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Dr Rodney Irwin, FCA

Rodney Irwin is a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland and is the Chief Operating Officer at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Established in 1995, WBCSD is the premier global, CEO-led community of over 200 of the world’s leading sustainable businesses working collectively to accelerate the system transformations needed for a net zero, nature positive, and more equitable future. It runs a wide suite of programmes and projects that help leading businesses in sustainability drive integrated actions to tackle climate, nature and inequality challenges across sectors and geographical regions. Notably, WBCSD supports its member companies in implementing recommendations from the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) by bringing leading companies together to discuss disclosure practices, shape and prepare for anticipated regulatory requirements, and develop strategic scenario and resilience assessment techniques.

Rodney began his accountancy career with EY, followed by senior Internal Audit and Internal Control roles for Abbey National, Motorola and TNT.  A fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, Rodney also holds a BS in Economics from Queen’s University Belfast, an MS in Management from Birmingham City University, and a doctorate degree in comparative corporate governance, ethical decision making and reporting from ISM Paris. Whilst a Group Director in Finance at TNT, Rodney was asked to lead the company’s sustainability reporting and to integrate ESG information in the annual report.  At this time, sustainability reporting was not an area familiar to him so he read for another degree and completed the Masters in Sustainability Leadership at Cambridge University.

In 2012 the CEO of WBCSD made a bold statement at the Rio+20 Summit that “Accountants will save the world,” and a few months later, Rodney was head-hunted by the WBCSD, where he led a ground-breaking programme of work to drive global, pan-industry change to accounting, audit and risk practices for environment, social and governance (ESG) reporting measurement and valuation. This work has led to partnerships with COSO, IAASB, TCFD, AICPA, ICAEW, Accountancy Europe, the Big 4 accounting firms and academia; resulting in research, guidance, CPD training courses, and more. 

He currently leads the WBCSD Education program and outside of WBCSD, he is Professor of Accounting and Sustainability with Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany, award winning Faculty Lecturer with Yale School of Management and Honorary Teaching Fellow with Lancaster University Management School. He also teaches at the Institute for Management Development (IMD) and the Global Network for Advanced Management.  An author and guest speaker at major industry conferences and events, recent highlights include the World Economic Forum (Davos) and the UN General Assembly.

Prior to his current role, Rodney led WBCSD’s Redefining Value program for nine years. This is a division within WBCSD which helps companies measure and manage risk, gain competitive advantage and seize new opportunities by understanding ESG information. It develops tools, guidance, case studies, engagement and education opportunities to help companies incorporate ESG performance into mainstream business and finance systems. Crucial to this is the harmonisation of the sustainability reporting landscape. To drive this Rodney is a Council Member of the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) – now part of the ‘Value Reporting Foundation’ – and a Board Member of the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB), both of which are consolidating with the International Sustainability Standards Board.

In Rodney’s view, incorporating ESG performance is not a revolution in accounting, as “accounting for ESG matters is not a rejection of traditional accounting. It builds on concepts such as accounting for externalities, which have been in circulation for a century.” Furthermore, Rodney believes that the financial system will be transformed to reward the most sustainable companies, and considers it imperative for Chartered Accountants to stay ahead of the curve to ensure that compliance does not create a burden, but unlocks insights into the company’s ability to create value for all stakeholders:

“This is a new chapter for Chartered Accountants. We need to embrace the ESG agenda, skill ourselves sufficiently to be competent and honour our profession’s call to act in the public interest. The climate emergency, the crisis in biodiversity and inequality are the biggest public interest issues facing the world today. We can be architects of the future, building on our heritage and developing a new accounting language so that new knowledge will emerge to secure both reward and survival. We should, and we must, enhance and share our unique and important skills to help decision-makers understand and act on this new reality.”

You can read Rodney’s article Creating long-term value through ESG, published in Accountancy Ireland in February, 2021, in which he explains how Chartered Accountants can fulfil their professional duties by strengthening company value through environmental, social and governance criteria.

 

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Judith Wylie, FCA

Judith Wylie is a fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and lectures in the areas of corporate social responsibility, risk management, corporate governance and business ethics. Judith holds a PhD investigating corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures made by Irish listed companies, and is member of the Chartered Accountants Ireland Expert Working Group on Sustainability.

Here Judith talks about Ulster University, which is in the top three institutions in the UK for incorporating the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their curriculum and has won an award from environmental leadership.

"With over 25,000 students and approximately 2,000 staff, Ulster University’s day-to-day activities understandably have a considerable impact on the environment. As an institution, therefore, it is  committed to embedding the concept of race to zero  (i.e. a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery) on its programmes.

Ulster University was the 2019 winner of Business in the Community’s Environmental Leadership Award, and a finalist in the 2020 Education Awards for Best Green Campus Award and is the top three institutions in the UK for incorporating the SDGs in our curriculum in the Global Goals Teach-In and initiative which encourages embedding SDGs at the heart of education by incorporating them into teaching, learning and assessment activities. It has a Carbon Management Plan, which commits the University to a target of a 29% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020/21, from the baseline year of 2005/06.  The plan outlines the University’s strategic approach to carbon emissions reduction through improved energy and water efficiency, greener procurement, more sustainable travel and improvements to waste management over the period. It also details the key reduction measures required and a proposed implementation process to realise the reduction targets.

Judith’s PhD investigating CSR Disclosures made by Irish-listed companies, showed that accountability reporting has improved over the years 2014 – 2017, with increased disclosures over a range of issues using multiple communication tools. This includes progress on climate change. This research added to the body of knowledge of accountancy on how to monitor companies’ progress on climate change, with qualitative case studies which revealed the importance of climate issues within boardrooms and the need to engage with stakeholders on addressing climate related issues.

Chartered Accountants have a key role to play in the transition to a low-carbon economy as we have a unique role as trusted business advisors.  We are skilled in measuring, reporting on and assuring organisational performance including issues of environmental and social impact.  Chartered Accountants in practice often sit in the decision-making nexus within organisations providing information and insights into investment decision making which is increasingly incorporating carbon impact.  It is no longer our role to simply report historic performance but rather be forecasters, strategic business planners and leaders on sustainable business practices.   

 I would encourage my fellow Chartered Accountants to seize the initiative and help their businesses grasp this challenge by helping create roadmaps to net zero.  Use your skills of data analysis, reporting and forecasting to model ways of reducing net carbon within organisations. By incorporating these targets into strategic decision making you can be a catalyst for positive change. Taking a purpose driven approach to what you do is not only good for the environment, it can also open up new ways of thinking, enable effective stakeholder engagement and accountability which all contribute to long term value creation."

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Cróna Clohisey, FCA

Qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 2009, Cróna Clohisey, FCA, has pivoted her career from tax consulting to work in advocacy and public policy. She now leads a team that works to promote awareness of sustainability among 30,000 professional accountants.

Following a degree in Business with Trinity College Dublin, Cróna qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2009, and qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser in the same year. After working in KPMG’s private client service division and then as Tax consultant manager with Grant Thornton, Cróna went on to join Revenue before moving to Sydney and taking up a position with Accounting for Good, a firm that supports non-profit organisations with financial management expertise so they can focus on delivering their missions. On returning to Ireland, Cróna joined Chartered Accountants Ireland’s tax and public policy team. Cróna now leads that works to promote awareness of sustainability, among other topics, to 30,000 professional accountants.

“Ireland has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 51% between 2018 and 2030 and to reach net zero no later than 2050. This is a huge challenge, and all sectors must play their part. The enterprise sector accounts for 13% of the emissions and as trusted advisors to and within Irish businesses, Chartered Accountants are ideally placed to drive this change. As a professional institute, we are committed to helping Ireland reach these targets by raising awareness among our members, in our advocacy work, and in supporting the profession in their sustainability journeys.”

The Institute does this in many ways. The Public Policy team’s efforts include responding to government consultations in Ireland and Northern Ireland which seek to influence policy in Climate action plans. We have also developed a sustainability hub on our website with our members in mind. We have numerous guides, articles, events, webinar recordings, glossaries – all with the aim of demystifying sustainability for accountants. The first Chartered Accountants Ireland Sustainability Conference took place on 16 June under the theme ‘What does Sustainability Mean for Accountants?’, with keynote addresses from Ireland’s Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan; and Minister for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

We also acknowledge the part we can play ourselves in the drive towards net zero. Earlier this year, we set about examining the Institute’s own carbon footprint. On the advice of an Environmental Consultant, we commissioned an internal energy audit and reduced as far as possible our Scope 1 and 2 emissions. We are developing a roadmap to tackle our Scope 3 emissions next year when workers are back in the office more regularly and the economy reopens fully following the pandemic

“At Chartered Accountants Ireland, we recognise that combatting climate change is not someone else’s responsibility.  That is why we have committed to becoming the first carbon-neutral professional accountancy organisation in Ireland. We are a body of 30,000 members and we want to inspire, encourage and educate our Chartered Accountants to take steps, no matter how small, towards achieving the global goal of net zero by 2050.” 

“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do in the Institute. We believe that we can make a difference. The challenges ahead are formidable, but I believe with will and concerted action on the part of individuals, business and government, we can build a sustainable future for the next generation.”

“Over the past year in particular, I have witnessed a seismic shift in focus towards ESG issues in all facets of policy.  Climate seems to be moving onto everyone’s agenda and my role in Chartered Accountants Ireland is to increase awareness and action among our membership to not just do their part to help combat climate change but also to embrace social and governance standards into their organisations.”   

“The Finance team have been instrumental in the Institute’s ongoing journey towards carbon neutrality. They were on board from the very start and offered valuable insights and considerations when we were planning out the project.”

“I urge my fellow Chartered Accountants to sign up to this campaign because every step we take towards lowering our carbon footprint, no matter how small, will make a difference.”

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Kevin Cooney, FCA

Kevin Cooney FCA talks about business development at Bleeper, a station-less free floating bike-sharing scheme that operates across Dublin, where he brings his skills and qualifications as an ACA to a venture that reduces carbon emissions, improves health and wellbeing, and saves time and money. 

With a BA in History and Economics from University College Dublin and an MSc in International Business, Kevin qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2010. He first pursued a career as a Senior Auditor in KPMG, before moving to Sydney, Australia, where he spent 8 years in finance across investment management, banking and healthcare. Returning to Ireland, Kevin joined Bleeper in 2020.

Bleeper (formerly Bleeper Bike), which had been set up by Hugh Cooney (another Chartered Accountant), is a bike sharing company which helps members of the public and organisations to reduce their carbon footprint while improving their wellbeing. For the public there are 800 standard bikes operating around Dublin with 105 registered users. 

“We know that cycling saves fuel as well as time and money, preventing carbon emissions and keeping pollutants out of the air. But it also improves health and moral, and healthy and fit employees mean improved performance at work and fewer sick days being taken.”

“Enterprise is responsible for 13% of Ireland’s carbon emissions so corporates are looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment. In 2021, Bleeper launched ‘My Private Scheme’ to provide private bike-sharing solutions to corporates, hotels, residential developments, business parks, universities, state bodies and any other entity where the client requires a private bike share scheme. Organisations can put their corporate branding on the bikes they make available for their employees.  Over 10 clients have signed up to My Private Scheme with 120 bikes being used.”

In addition to benefits to the environment, Bleeper is committed to working with partners in its local community. It took an active role in Bikewear (12th-19th September) and Dublin Climate Action Week (13th-19th September) by participating in events and webinars, demonstrating their bikes, and offering free bike rides to Bleeper users. It also supplied and maintains a fleet of e-bikes for the Smart Mobility Hub model championed by Dublin City Council since 2018 as part of Enterprise Ireland’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programme. It is also working with local authorities to provide climate-friendly cargo-bikes to businesses and individuals who want to try them out, in its project ‘Bleeperbox’.

As part of its commitment to providing a sustainable and safe mode of transport for those who need to travel, Bleeper offered free membership for healthcare workers in Dublin to help them get to where they were needed the most.

 

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Martin Kennedy, FCA, Head of Internal Audit

Martin Kennedy talks about his work with a global innovation service provider Azelis on its journey to drive down carbon emissions.

Martin Kennedy qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2006. In the years that followed he worked for an international NGO in Ireland, which involved travel to Africa. It was during this role that he saw the devastating effects of climate change on our planet and decided to use his career and knowledge to make a difference.

In 2016 Martin joined Azelis in Luxembourg, a leading global innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry. As Head of Internal Audit, Martin – among other responsibilities –  is directly involved in assessing Azelis sustainability claims, goals and controls around these topics. He was recently involved in preparing the 'risk management' section of the 2020 Azelis Sustainability Report (click here to find the Azelis website, with links to the 2020 Sustainability Report).

Azelis has several sustainability initiatives in action across the organization. It has committed to a target to reduce our Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon intensity by 50% by 2030 (from a baseline year of 2019) with a mid-term target of 25 percent carbon intensity reduction by 2025. For example Azelis has set targets for sourcing 100% of electricity in all offices and sites from renewable sources as well as for decarbonizing their own operations and supply chain. In addition the company is moving towards integrated reporting, combining financial data with non-financial KPIs, such as electricity consumption and emissions.

The company is assessed annually by Ecovadis, the environmental sustainability ratings platform which assesses corporate social responsibility and sustainable procurement. Recently Azelis received its first Ecovadis Platinum rating, the highest sustainability recognition level awarded by the agency.  This recognition makes Azelis the first global specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor and innovation service provider to be awarded Platinum by EcoVadis. Azelis, touching the lives of people everywhere. - YouTube.

"Azelis' robust culture of compliance and risk management is the cornerstone of our sustainability strategy. This was critical to our performance in 2020. We rose to the challenges of the pandemic, ensured full business continuity and protected our colleagues wherever they were.” 

Recently Martin has joined the Irish task force of FinBiz2030 a joint initiative between One Young World and Chartered Accountants Worldwide with the aim of engaging the finance and business communities globally to achieve the UN Sustainability Development Goals by 2030 (FinBiz2030 - Chartered Accountants Worldwide).

"When I started my CA journey through the school leaver route in 2001, at that point I did not fully know the extent of possibilities the career can provide. But a CA career gives the possibility for members to focus on many important subjects, beyond working solely and directly on financial issues."

 

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Jason McIntosh, ACA

Jason McIntosh ACA talks about working in a global technology company, and the many ways in which Chartered Accountants make an impact on the climate crisis, through their day-to-day work, their professional networks and their volunteering.

Jason McIntosh qualified as Chartered Accountant in 2015, following a degree in law, and a postgraduate Masters in Corporate Governance, at Queen’s University Belfast. He spent almost seven years in practice with the Private Markets audit team at Deloitte, and is currently working in industry as Senior Finance Manager at Seagate Technology.  He is responsible for the Finance Accounting function within the UK and Ireland, as well as a number of locations across EMEA, and his team manages areas such as external reporting, compliance, payroll, and direct and indirect taxes.

Seagate Technology, a global data storage and storage solutions company, has set challenging goals in carbon emissions reduction at a local and global level. It has committed to Science-Based Targets under the Business Ambition for 1.5 C to reduce absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions 20% by 2025, and 60% by 2040 from a 2017 base year. It also commits to reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions 20% by 2025 and 60% by 2040 from a 2017 base year.

Seagate sets out its commitments and achievements in environmental aspects within its Global Citizenship Annual Report, and all teams within the organisation play a role in the internal Environmental Committee.

Jason believes that Chartered Accountants are vital professionals in climate and environmental work:

“Within all the organisations that we are involved in, I believe that Chartered Accountants have a key role to play. This is true in the traditional sense (e.g. for reporting of targets/outcomes, etc.) but also by lending our voices as trusted professional partners within businesses to promote the importance of climate action as part of our business goals. The Chartered Accountancy qualification holds significant prestige, and our contribution to the journey to net zero carbon emissions is vital.”

But it is not just in their day-to-day jobs that Chartered Accountants can make a difference. Jason is deputy convenor of the Chartered Accountants in Business sub-committee of the Chartered Accountants Ireland Ulster Society, and in September 2020 spoke at a webinar on implementing a successful CSR strategy, and the role of business in promoting sustainability and climate action. He established the Young Professionals Network in Seagate in EMEA, creating a welcoming community for younger professionals and those new to the company, and he is project manager for the Smart City team in Springtown. In addition, he set up the Smart Volunteer Network, a city-wide partnership promoting the benefits of using data to become a Smart City (with over 140 volunteers across the city to date).

“Chartered Accountants can (and should!) play a key role as allies in response to the climate crisis, both directly as a trusted business partner but also by lending their voice to the wider discussion.”

Despite having a very full schedule himself, Jason always advises Chartered Accountants Ireland to look for opportunities to do more and to use the CA network:

“Don’t be afraid to take an opportunity when one arises. Great things never came from comfort zones. And remember: it’s never too early to build your network. I was given this advice on my first day working as an accountant, and probably didn’t take it seriously enough then. But it’s true. As you progress in your career, your network will invariably become something that you rely on from time to time. Looking after it is important, too; stay in touch with the people you meet.”

In that spirit, Jason is a Trustee at Groundwork Northern Ireland, a non-profit organisation which has been working in Northern Ireland since 1991 with communities to build vibrant, green, resilient neighbourhoods.   Jason has  been Chair of its Finance & Personnel Committee for the past 18 months.

“Groundwork Northern Ireland works in many areas within local communities, including having a key focus on environmental issues. My contribution includes an oversight of the financial (and indeed non-financial) reporting and analysis for the organisation, and also playing a key role in the wider governance of the organisation to allow us to continue to strive to meet our goals in this area.

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Linda Mc Weeney and Mary Jane Webberley

Linda Mc Weeney and Mary Jane Webberley are fellows of Chartered Accountants Ireland and lecture at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), one of the largest third-level educators in Ireland, with a student population of over 29,000.  Linda and Mary Jane’s current area of research is Sustainable Finance and Sustainable Business.

 At TU Dublin, research aims to find efficient, cleaner and more sustainable sources of energy; the development of evidence-based policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and how to increase security of supply so as to enhance national competitiveness. Diet, health, and the sustainable production of safe and novel foods and ingredients are also key research focus areas. Maintaining the very highest level of energy efficiency and waste management is an important consideration in the delivery of all campus services. In addition, as a partner of the Smarter Travel Campus Programme, TU Dublin encourages students and staff to use public transport, to walk or cycle, and ample bike parks are available in all locations. Find out more here.

Sustainability also continues to be imbedded across the curriculum at TU Dublin.  FinBiz Sustainability Webinar Series is a brand created and developed by Linda and Mary Jane. The webinars are hosted by TU Dublin, presented by experts and recorded and uploaded to the TU Dublin FinBiz Sustainability hub, created and developed by Linda and Mary Jane for assessment use across all disciplines and all campuses. Panellists include professionals in the area of sustainability speaking on topics such as sustainable practices and policies, risk management and sustainability, future trends in the area of sustainability, accounting for sustainability and sustainability frameworks. TU Dublin students are encouraged to complete the ‘Sulitest’. The Sulitest is a global educational project that assesses sustainability literacy. 

"It is now vital more than ever that accountants understand the link between financial and non-financial data.  It is imperative accounting and finance students have a clear understanding of sustainability, impact on business and reporting of. Higher education is crucial in educating the current and next generation of leaders, pushing the research agenda for both the public and private sectors, and influencing national economies."

Linda and Mary Jane were involved in the development and introduction of a Sustainable Finance module which aims to give students an appreciation of the new developments and key strategic issues in sustainable finance affecting companies and  aligns with the TU Dublin vision: to create a Better World, Together under the three pillars People, Planet, and Partnership. 

Linda and Mary Jane are also champions for sustainability on an SDG Literacy Group within TU Dublin. The SDG Literacy Community of Practice project is funded by the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education under TU Dublin IMPACT.  The project is focused on influencing faculty from all disciplines to embrace education-for-sustainability. The project collaborators comprise academic staff and students from a wide range of disciplines across the three university campuses in TU Dublin.  They represent the genesis of an extensive network of sustainability literacy champions, across TU Dublin. 

"It is vital that businesses focus on the next challenge and opportunity. Understand why sustainability is good for business, and how important good leadership is in achieving change. Leadership will be more important than ever in creating and applying high social and environmental standards in private sector investments and in supporting business in areas of sustainability."

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The 1,000 Chartered Accountants campaign is the first joint initiative of the three professional chartered accountancy bodies in Ireland and the United Kingdom. We want to promote and support 1,000 Chartered Accountants who have committed - or want to commit - to begin their journey to net-zero carbon emissions, or who have been an active voice in decarbonising the economy.

Are you a CA who is acting on the climate crisis? Then we’d like to hear from you – share your success with us here.