A new Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) survey has revealed that just 53% of organisations have taken steps to develop or utilise sustainability information, with 39% yet to make any such commitment.  

The release coincides with the start of the COP 30 conference in Brazil.  

According to the report, insights into how business operations affect stakeholders are viewed as essential for organisational resilience and long-term success.   

The ACCA noted that sustainability impacts all those who provide and use resources, posing risks to resilience and providing opportunities for sustainable profit. 

The survey indicated that 25% of respondents said they struggle to recognise their organisation’s most important resources, while 33% reported challenges in understanding what different stakeholders require from sustainability data. 

“Sustainability reporting: Track your progress” is part of a series of reports aimed at offering guidance on the development and use of sustainability-related information. 

The survey covered more than 1,000 participants across 113 countries and included interviews and global roundtables to gauge organisational preparedness for sustainability reporting.  

Overall, it found that systems, processes, and workforce readiness remain underdeveloped.  

The report points out that insufficient leadership engagement is undermining strategic decision-making at the senior level, with negative effects on sustainability planning, investment in infrastructure, and management of data. 

To address these challenges, the report lists 10 recommendations for organisations, including advancing beyond basic compliance requirements, prioritising globally relevant standards, integrating sustainability into stakeholder management. 

Additionally, it includes building agile systems centred on user needs, developing flexible resource models, and promoting collaboration across industries and regions. 

In a separate development, ACCA has appointed Melanie Proffitt, a UK-based finance professional and chief financial officer (CFO), as its new president. 

Initially, Proffitt joined the ACCA Council in 2015, and will lead more than 257,000 members and 530,000 future members across 180 countries during her year-long term in office.  

Her previous roles as vice-president and deputy president have involved working with ACCA members across various regions, including India, Africa, and Europe.