A New Era for Sustainability and Sustainability-Related Financial Reporting

The panel discussion with Professor Carol Adams (chair of the Global Sustainability Standards Board) and Professor Richard Barker (member of the International Sustainability Standards Board) and facilitated by Professor Richard Slack will consider the following issues:

• What are the aims of the GRI and IFRS S Standards set by the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) and International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) respectively?
• What are their respective conceptual underpinnings?
• Can reporters use both sets of standards effectively and if so, how?
• What should/ could a collaboration between the ISSB and GSSB look like? How could it work? What are the barriers?
• What should sustainability and sustainability-related financial reporting look like in five and 10 years’ time?
• What are the current and future requirements and implications for preparers of listed, large private, smaller companies or the public sector?

Timings

• 1730 – Welcome and drinks
• 1815 – Discussion commences
• 1915 – Close

This is an in-person event only and will not be recorded

Panellists

Professor Carol Adams 

Carol is a Chartered Accountant, Professor of Accounting at Durham University Business School and chair of the Global Sustainability Standards Board.  Her research is concerned with the role of accounting and reporting in the relationships between business, society and the environment. She has led the development of sustainability reports and advised on sustainability and integrated reporting to major organisations. Recent policy work has included advising the UNDP on its SDG Impact Standards and CIPFA on public sector sustainability reporting.
Carol chairs the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland's Sustainability Panel and is a member of the A4S Technical Expert Group. Throughout her career Carol has sought to advance practice and policy with respect to integrating sustainability considerations into organizations through applied research, leadership roles, standard setting roles, board roles, advisory work and educating the next generation of business leaders. Previous university roles include Pro Vice Chancellor (Sustainability), Deputy and Acting Dean of Faculty and Head of School.

Professor Richard Barker

Richard is a member of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). Before joining the ISSB, he served as deputy dean and professor of accounting at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, UK.  He has chaired the expert panel of Accounting for Sustainability (A4S) and served as a member of several committees and bodies focused on corporate reporting in the UK and Europe, including the UK Corporate Reporting Council, HM Treasury’s Financial Reporting Advisory Board and the European Accounting Association’s Accounting Standards Committee.

Professor Richard Slack

Richard is a professor in accounting at Durham University Business School and has served as Head of Department for Accounting. Prior to his academic career, Richard worked at Price Waterhouse and is a qualified chartered accountant. His core research examines the usefulness of accounting information, including sustainability and climate-related disclosures, to capital market users such as equity investors and analysts. Recent policy work reported on company readiness towards ISSB disclosure requirements. He is currently Chair of the ICAEW Northern Network Board and is actively engaged in embedding sustainability into business and accounting practice.

For further information, please contact: business.dept.accounting@durham.ac.uk