Boost your professional development with these free resources
Keep your professional knowledge and skills up-to-date in the comfort of your own home, thanks to these free virtual resources (Getty Images/Morsa Images)
Just as many CPAs have been working remotely since the pandemic began, so too have professional development courses and conferences moved to a virtual format.
Fortunately, there are plenty of free resources you can tap into at your convenience, no matter where you happen to be.
NAVIGATING THE PANDEMIC
Practice management considerations in times of crisis
From remote work considerations to insurance issues, this four-part podcast series explores various challenges firms need to be aware of during uncertain times.
Professional skepticism in a remote working environment
COVID-19 has transformed the way auditors work. In this podcast, FCPA Karen Higgins, audit and assurance partner at Deloitte Canada and the chair of the Canadian Public Accountability Board’s Professional Skepticism Working Group, shares practical examples on applying professional skepticism in a remote working environment during uncertain times.
Financial literacy podcast: Mastering money
CPA Canada created two special series to deal with the fallout of the pandemic. The COVID-19 series, features experts discussing topics such as saving, mental wellness and retirement, while the small business series, produced in partnership with the Government of Ontario, is aimed at helping small businesses navigate the pandemic. In addition, the latest season of Mastering money focuses on everyday financial decisions while dealing with the global pandemic.
PwC’s national webcast: Act now to emerge stronger
How do we measure the effects of the pandemic on our economy? How do we support growth in the age of COVID-19? What about the creation of value? This PwC webinar offers insight on these issues as we move forward.
WORK TRENDS
Human resources in a pandemic
In the first episode of a two-part conversation with Neil Amato for the Journal of Accountancy, Paul McDonald, the senior executive director at Robert Half, looks at the recruiting outlook for accounting professionals this year. In the second episode, he explains why investing in employees matters more than anything else if organizations are to emerge as winners from this health crisis.
How to foster true diversity and inclusion at work (and in your community)
When companies think of diversity and inclusion, they often focus on meeting metrics rather than building relationships with people of diverse backgrounds, says Starbucks COO Rosalind G. Brewer. In this TED talk, she talks a about how to create a truly inclusive workforce and bring real change—all the way to the boardroom.
Also, watch How racial bias works—and how to disrupt it, with Jennifer L. Eberhardt, a psychologist at Stanford University.
Do You Miss the Office?
Led by Annie Bergeron, design director and principal at Gensler, and presented by the real estate investment company Ivanhoé Cambridge, this podcast series explores how the pandemic has made us completely rethink our work environments.
The CFO of the future
Finance executives play a key role in organizations, and in this report, the Institute of Management Accountants and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants consider how the CFO role is changing as well as opportunities for the future.
THINKTWENTY20
The fall and winter issues of this publication feature articles (many by CPAs), on a variety of topics such as automated audits, the use of social media in the accounting profession, managing a team in the age of COVID-19, and more.
TECHNOLOGY
CPA guide on best practices in IT use
This bilingual guide from CPA Quebec provides a comprehensive list of best practices for responsible information technology use in the CPA profession, taking into account CPAs’ ethical and regulatory obligations.
Transforming the finance function with RPA
Robotic process automation (RPA) can play a critical role in transforming the finance and accounting function. This report by the Institute of Management Accountants explores how the technology works and how it can be applied to specific areas.
CPA Canada’s publication, Robotic Process Automation: Technology Spotlight, written by FCPA Daniel Zbacnik, also looks at the same subject.
Building ethical AI solutions: using the ethics funnel and a trusted framework
AI is increasingly becoming the go-to solution for a wide range of business problems. But it can also raise ethical issues. This guide summarizes the presentations and key messages from CPA Canada’s fourth Ethics Symposium, which explored the interaction between technology and ethics and what it means for the way we do business.
Scale up! How to use technology to boost your business’s efficiency
In this webinar, available in English and French, BDC experts explain how to boost a company’s productivity, revenue and capacity by using technology to its full potential.
INDUSTRY UPDATES
Canadian public company financial reporting update: Q4 2020
This on-demand event offers updates on key changes to IFRS and Canadian securities legislation and other important issues. Also, the Q1 2021 webinar will be held on April 29, and will then be available on-demand after. Both webinars are free and worth one CPD hour per event.
Viewpoints (auditing crypto-assets): Are tests of controls needed regarding the ownership assertion?
It can be challenging for auditors to verify the rightful owner of crypto-assets, given that transactions are pseudo-anonymous and the identity of the actual owner is not legally recorded. Viewpoints outlines the factors to consider in obtaining sufficient audit evidence.
A4S essential guide to valuations and climate change
This five-step framework complemented by case studies is developed by the Canadian Chapter of the A4S CFO Leadership Network and led by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. It aims to provide business valuators with direction to incorporate climate change risks and opportunities into valuations.
STAY SHARP
Check out more free publications, webinars and podcasts to improve your professional skills and explore further development resources to enhance your career.
This story was updated on February 1, 2022, to remove an outdated webinar on tax considerations for small businesses.