Update from the CPA Australia Board 11 December 2024

President’s message

This year has been incredibly productive for CPA Australia as we continued to execute our strategic goals. We welcomed our new CEO, Chris Freeland AM, who has effectively led the organisation since joining CPA Australia in March, demonstrating strong leadership qualities that have positively impacted the team and its goals. We also celebrated 70 years in Singapore with a series of engaging member events. Our education and policy initiatives have progressed under the guidance of Dr. Asheley Jones, who also joined us this year. Together, we have promoted the value of the CPA designation and advocated for our members, the accounting profession, and the public interest. 

I want to sincerely thank my Deputy Presidents, Warren McRae and Louise Cox, as well as my fellow Board members, the Executive Leadership Team led by Chris Freeland AM, all staff, Divisional Councils, the Council of Presidents, and the many volunteers who together form the ‘CPA family’. This collective effort embodies my belief in ‘Ubuntu’ – I am because we are. Your commitment and support are truly appreciated.

We have much to look forward to in 2025. By adopting the 'One CPA' approach, we ensure that all members have equal access to services and resources, no matter where they are located. The Board is dedicated to delivering value to our members, growing our membership, and enhancing our external engagement and thought leadership in important areas like ethics, AI, ESG, and sustainability. We are also committed to evolving our professional development offerings, including the CPA Program, to prepare our members for the challenges of a changing profession.

On behalf of the Board, I want to express our most sincere thanks for your continued support. We wish you and your families a joyful festive season and a safe, happy New Year.

Three letters to limitless - CPA Australia Brand campaign 

The Board is excited by the positive reception to CPA Australia’s new brand campaign that we launched last month. The campaign highlights the global reach and recognition of the CPA designation. Based around the tagline: CPA – Three letters to limitless, it features stories from real members and the ‘limitless’ career opportunities the CPA designation can lead to. The campaign is being promoted globally across a range of media platforms, including video, print, online and social media. Watch the television commercial here. 

PJC Inquiry - response to recommendations

CPA Australia is committed to upholding the highest ethical and professional standards. We continue to participate in the debate around ethics in the profession by engaging with the government through the Parliamentary Joint Committee (PJC) Inquiry. 

On 7 November, the PJC released its report into Ethics and Professional Accountability. The Report contains 40 recommendations spanning a wide range of issues, including partnership structures and reporting, separation of audit and non-audit services, regulatory oversight, consulting services and whistleblower protections. Several recommendations directly reference the professional accounting bodies, such as CPA Australia, and we are carefully considering each of these recommendations to achieve a more robust system that avoids significant disruption or unintended consequences for practitioners or their clients. We will consult with key stakeholders and work productively with government to ensure that the reforms are balanced, targeted and effective.

CPA Congress 

Another inspiring and successful CPA Congress was held in October with more than 9,650 delegates in total, including more than 700 attending the in-person conference in Canberra. There was excellent engagement during the program which featured CPA Australia members, industry experts and internationally renowned speakers. The average rating for the more than 30 OnDemand virtual sessions is 4.4 out of 5, and the in-person experience rated at 4.5 out of 5, reinforcing the value of the CPA Congress supporting the professional needs of attendees. Plans for 2025 are already underway with three events planned for mid-October: the global virtual experience, as well as in-person experiences – one in Asia and one on the Gold Coast, Australia.

Introducing digital badges for members

CPA Australia is introducing digital designation badges that members can display online to showcase their FCPA, CPA or Associate membership status at a glance. The digital badges support our brand awareness campaign and ensure that members are instantly recognised by employers and recruiters worldwide for the depth and breadth of their accounting, finance and business advisory expertise. Holding a digital designation badge with CPA Australia gives members instant verification of their CPA Australia membership, increases visibility in the online job market and allows easy networking opportunities with fellow CPA badge holders.

Find out more about CPA Australia digital badges.

New sustainability micro-credentials 

We continue to grow our suite of micro-credentials, launching the first of three new sustainability micro-credentials to support members as mandatory climate reporting requirements for large organisations come into effect from 1 January 2025. The first of the three new micro-credentials on ‘Sustainability: Building Resilience through Leadership’ has been released and covers preparation for IFRS Sustainability Standards disclosure requirements. Two additional courses are scheduled for release in December and January. They will cover how businesses can incorporate sustainability into their operations, sustainability reporting and disclosure.

Professional Development ethics awards 

We are delighted to announce that CPA Australia’s professional development ethics offer has been recognised at the prestigious LearnX Awards with our complimentary ‘Professional Ethics in Focus’ and the premium ‘Ethical Dilemmas in Accounting’ micro-credential winning three diamond awards for: 

• Best eLearning Project (Industry Specific)
• Best eLearning Project for On-Demand Learning
• Best eLearning Project for Refresher Training (Industry Specific)

Updated CPA Australia By-Laws 

As of 1 October 2024, recent changes to CPA Australia’s By-Laws have come into effect. The updates aim to refine and simplify processes for members and cover the following areas:

• Members on the Retired Membership List providing Public Accounting Services (Part 3).
• Procedures and costs associated with Professional Conduct complaints (Parts 5 and 11)
• Procedures for Divisional Council Office Bearer elections (Part 6)
• Guidance on notifying CPA Australia of Public Indemnity Insurance claims (Part 9)

CPA Australia members appointed to IFAC Board 

CPA Australia’s Board of Directors wish to congratulate Ms. Taryn Rulton FCA FCPA, who has been elected as Deputy President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), as well as Ms. Josephine Su Han Phan FCPA and Lei (Stone) Yan, CPA (Aust.), who have been appointed as directors on the IFAC Board. IFAC is the peak global organisation for the accountancy profession, and we are delighted that these prominent members of CPA Australia will serve on the IFAC board. 

Sincerely, 

Dale Pinto FCPA
John Curtin Distinguished Professor
President and Chair
On behalf of CPA Australia’s Board of Directors