Chapter 12: Accounting, Accountability and Social Responsibility

We are here at the final chapter of Accounting and Accountability – you’ve done it – congratulations!!

I hope that by this point you’ve enjoyed our journey together learning about accounting, where it came from and how we use it today to help us maintain accountability for those making decisions. We’ve examined this specifically within the context of business – but the same principles apply in the areas of charity and not-for-profit organisations, governments or government bodies.

However as we wrap up, we have one last topic to explore – social responsibility. We (consumers and the general public) are requiring businesses and organisations to do better – to think about more than just profits. To consider the impact that business or organisation has on its employees, customers, suppliers, the environment. Just as we are doing more on an individual level (is anyone else recycling their soft plastics at home? Or started a compost bin? Catching more public transport or switching to a hybrid or electric vehicle?) we also recognise that change also needs to happen at the business and governmental level.

Our next section is a deep dive into the history of social responsibility to an understanding of where we are in terms of social responsibility. The next section is authored by Leanne Gaul – a PhD student at the University of Technology Sydney and also one of our academic tutors. Leanne spent a decade in the financial planning industry before shifting into academia and completing her Honours thesis on sustainability reporting.

After that, I’d like you to read Terry Wickey’s words again – we’ve linked to some work from Charles Darwin University – understanding and incorporating the indigenous perspectives is everyone’s responsibility.

We then wrap up with some parting words from me 😊. I’ll see you all at the end ❤️