KARACHI: The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Pakistan, Bangladesh, Middle East and Sri Lanka organised 'Global Ethics Week 2021,' bringing together top international industry experts for a five-part webinar series of discussions, spanning over three days, focused on ethics and its impact on life and society, especially businesses.

Partners of the Global Ethics Week 2021 were CFA Society, Habib Bank Limited, ICMA Pakistan, Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance, Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited, Pearl Initiative, The Pakistan Business Council's Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business (CERB), and The Sri Lanka Institute of Directors.

The experts highlighted how finance professionals are both well placed and trained to promote public good and make a real contribution to ethical sustainable businesses.

They endorsed that ethics is the global currency to build trust and sustainable economic growth, while the accountants and finance professionals are playing a key role in building stakeholders' confidence, creating transparency in business dealing and driving a culture where people are encouraged to call-out unethical behaviours.

In their video messages, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Senator Walid Iqbal, Taimur Jhagra (Finance and Health Minister KP), Asif Peer (CEO, Systems Ltd), Asim Siddiqui (Country Head of EY Ford Rhodes) and Dr Amjad Saqib (Founder of Akhuwat Foundation) expressed their support for ACCA's efforts for ethical industrial prosperity.

The ACCA Pakistan head Sajjeed Aslam said, "Trust, accountability, and integrity are fundamental to ensuring trade, building societies, and supporting economies across the globe, in the digital age, to drive ethical and sustainable business decisions for positive impact."

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021