The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project (A4S) was established by The Prince of Wales in 2004 with the aim of inspiring action by finance leaders to drive a fundamental shift towards resilient business models and a sustainable economy.

The organisation has three core aims:

• Inspire finance leaders to adopt sustainable and resilient business models
• Transform financial decision making to enable an integrated approach, reflective of the opportunities and risks posed by environmental and social issues
• Scale up action across the global finance and accounting community

The partnership between A4S and ICMIF is one founded on shared values and shared purpose and ICMIF hopes to encourage member organisations to become involved in the work of the A4S as it expands on a global basis.

At the ICMIF Board Meeting held in November 2019, ICMIF’s CEO Shaun Tarbuck affirmed the Federation’s commitment to continue to promote the great work already being done by A4S to share ways to incorporate sustainable financial practices in accounting reporting with CFOs and other financial leaders. The role for the finance community in achieving a sustainable world is critical and ICMIF believes that mutual and cooperative insurers are organisations which are ideally suited to become actively involved in this work.

The Prince’s Accounting for Sustainability Project (A4S) is now providing more free content to support ICMIF member finance leaders, and their organisations, in understanding the role of finance in creating resilient business models and a sustainable economy. 

A4S Academy

• Members can apply for the A4S Academy 12-month core programme (for senior finance professionals) to gain the knowledge and skills needed to embed sustainability into their organization’s decision-making process.

For more information on the Academy and how to register, click here.

Webinar programme

• Members can benefit from bite-size learning sessions through the A4S webinar programme (open to all). The interactive webinars will explore topics looking at the role finance professionals can play in creating resilient business models, with insights from leading businesses.

For more information and how to register, click here.

Podcast series

• Listen to the Financing our Future podcast series featuring interviews and discussions with leading figures in finance from organizations across the globe. 

For more information on the series and how to download, click here.

The A4S Essential Guide to Management Information

This guide has been created to support finance professionals to integrate social and environmental information into their core management information processes.

Business performance is no longer solely judged in terms of financials. So, the way decisions are made, and the information upon which they are made, needs to change. Decision makers therefore need to look beyond the traditional financial metrics, to also consider social and environmental information.

Following the COVID-19 crisis it is clear that information on social and environmental considerations are more pertinent than ever. To build back with more resilience this information is essential.

Most organizations produce social and environmental information, but seldom on an integrated basis as part of their core management information processes. This guide includes guidance on how this can be done, but also illustrative examples to show the benefits to different types of companies.

For more information on the guide and how to download, click here.

The A4S project works with finance communities around the world and is actively expanding its networks globally. In Canada, ICMIF member The Co-operators (Canada) is involved in the A4S and Karen Higgins, Executive Vice-President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, is one of the Canadian A4S Chapter members. In the USA, Warren Zaccaro, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer at ICMIF member Securian Financial Group is a member of the US Chapter.

If you would like to learn more about ICMIF’s partnership with the A4S please click here or contact Shaun Tarbuck, Chief Executive, ICMIF. Read our guest blog “The business response to COVID-19 and building back better” by Jessica Fries, Executive Chairman, A4S here.