Ethical business is good business
As strategic advisors and leaders, building a culture of transparency is vital for CPAs, now more than ever. A solid understanding of ethics creates opportunities for professional accountants to champion corporate responsibility and the fact that financial sustainability is not mutually exclusive from operating with integrity.
To address the increasing demand for ethical expertise in the profession, we are introducing three new courses to our Ethics Online Course Series. These offerings are designed to meet the unique needs of CFOs, auditors and independent consultants while integrating The CPA Way.
Each course is worth four CPD hours and includes a mix of theoretical case studies, suggested solutions, and a chance to apply your learning through interactive quizzes and evaluation.
Ethics for the CFO
This executive-focused course highlights many of the difficult ethical dynamics that CFOs face in their role – from new and unexpected situations to the distinct challenges of the C-suite. For example, sometimes safeguarding ethics can be complicated by interpersonal relationships or pressure from a board of directors and performance trends.
Hear firsthand accounts from CFOs who were interviewed specifically for this course as they weigh in on how to balance core leadership responsibilities with ethical considerations, including how to navigate risk management, establish strong internal controls, enhance transparency throughout an organization and connect sustainable practices to long-term profitability.
Ethics for the Auditor
Independence is essential for auditors who want to maintain an authoritative, professional and trustworthy reputation, whether internal or external. With that in mind, this course places special emphasis on the importance of preserving ethical autonomy for auditors. It also recognizes today’s top threats to auditor independence, such as self-interest or self-review, advocacy, familiarity and intimidation.
You will have the opportunity to review several valuable real-life examples of success and failures in audit around disclosure, financial reporting and breaches in standards – the type of case studies that highlight how crucial maintaining trust in the audit function is among investors, stakeholders and the public.
Ethics for the Consultant
Working as an independent consultant requires a targeted set of professional skills, while also taking into account the value of your reputation as a CPA. To be successful, you must demonstrate the expertise and integrity you can provide to clients in your practice.
Discover how fellow CPA consultants are choosing to navigate tough ethical dilemmas with clients, and how to best provide a valuable outsider perspective when it comes to matters such as fraud, financial irregularities, or establishing new guidelines to create organizational change.
Ultimately, business leaders have an important role to play in creating a more sustainable future for the economy, society and our environment. And while best practices are always evolving, one constant is the influence CPAs have in bringing those values to life through thoughtful decision making, strategic planning and ethical action.
Ethics for CPAs is not just about the right thing to do, but understanding that what’s smart in business can also be what’s good – enhancing corporate accountability, restoring public trust and protecting the reputation and credibility of our profession.
To learn more about professional development options on this topic, explore our growing Ethics Online Course Series.