The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. – Mahatma Gandhi

This quarter’s theme is Chartered Accountants for Change. It’s time for Chartered Accountants (CAs) to be one of the catalysts to save the world. CAs should understand their unique role as an enabler of transforming the world towards a sustainable future.

CAs play a critical role in society by ensuring financial transparency, accountability, and ethical practices in the business and financial world. They are not only responsible for auditing financial statements and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations but also have the potential to drive positive change in society.

The various ways in which we, as Chartered Accountants, can contribute to society are:

a.    Ethical Financial Practices: CAs can promote ethical financial practices within organisations. By ensuring that financial transactions are conducted with integrity, CAs can help prevent fraud and unethical behaviour.

b.    Mentor a young person in your community to build their character. If you’re an adult, you’ve probably accumulated decades of practical knowledge and worldly experience that many young people could benefit from. Mentorship programs exist for this purpose and allow adults to pass on personal or professional knowledge to young people who are struggling for guidance and a roadmap for professional excellence in their lives.

AadaanPradaan – a unique program by our Society – is organised every year by the Membership, Public Relations, and Seminar Committee. It is a program where young CAs from the Society register by mentioning the specific areas where they need guidance. Mentors who are seniors from the profession are assigned to each mentee, and a one-on-one online session is organised. The mentees immensely benefit from this program.

c.    Volunteer at community organisations to help others in society. Volunteering is a great way to interact with your local community and help out people who are less fortunate than yourself. Volunteering will take only a small amount of your time on a weekly basis but can make a huge difference in the lives of people in the society around you.

Operating as a not-for-profit organisation, BCAS also relies on the dedicated efforts of hundreds of volunteers who selflessly contribute their time and expertise while upholding shared values and professional ethics.

d.    Teach people useful skills in your community to benefit their lives: Giving other people practical knowledge and day-to-day skills is a great way to contribute to your local community and enhance the overall progress of society.

e.    Share your specialised knowledge to give back to your local community: Regardless of how much formal education you’ve had, you probably have some knowledge and skills that would be useful to people in your community.

f.    Reduce, reuse and recycle goods whenever possible: We all live in natural ecosystems, and protecting your local environment is an integral part of contributing to society. Recycle plastics and other polluting substances as well as strive to use less plastic in general and use more eco-friendly products.

g.    Plant trees. Not only will planting a tree enhance the beauty of your neighbourhood, but it will also make the environment a little healthier.

BCAS VAN (बीसीएएस वन)

As we are celebrating our 75th anniversary, BCAS as a green initiative has created an entire forest by planting 7,500 trees at Banaskantha, Gujarat. It is called the BCAS VAN. The trees shall be monitored by an NGO in Banaskantha. Your contribution towards such an initiative of the Society is always welcome.

h.    Pro Bono Work: Many CAs volunteer their services to non-profit organisations, charitable causes, and underserved communities, providing much-needed financial expertise. At BCAS, we are also in the process of reviving our charitable trust clinic to provide pro bono advice to many trustees, employees and auditors of charitable trusts.

Even as the world faced the enormous challenge of COVID-19 in the last few years, and with challenges such as sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and profit with purpose still lying ahead for businesses, it’s time for CAs to step forward, take leadership positions and affect change within their organisations and society at large.

“Throughout the pandemic, the role of Chartered Accountants has been to talk to their businesses. They didn’t save lives, but they saved livelihoods,” said Michael Izza, Chairman of Chartered Accountants Worldwide.

CAs can be catalysts for positive change in society by upholding financial integrity, promoting ethical business practices and actively contributing to the well-being of their communities. Their role extends beyond financial statements and audits; it encompasses a commitment to societal welfare and sustainable development.

Chartered Accountants are partners in nation-building.

FELICITATION OF ICAI TORCH BEARERS

– Various Themes: Startups; New Age Professional Firms; One World One Tax; Capital Markets; the Impact of Technology on Tax, Audit, and other service areas; Changing Corporate Landscape; New Age Economic Wars; Interchanging roles of a CA and many more sessions

– Networking opportunities with participants from various countries and 75+ cities in India

– Open for CAs, Lawyers, CSs, MBA Finance, and other Finance Professionals

– Networking between participants from Industry and Practice

– CFO roundtable and CFO dinner

– Cultural evening with Bollywood singers, celebrating 75 years of BCAS

– Discussing professional opportunities in India and abroad

And much more.

To know more about the conference and our Thought Leaders, visit: reimagine.bcasonline.org.

I have dealt with sustainability and ways in which we as professionals contribute towards the same. I would like to conclude with this Sanskrit shloka of Ishopnishad dealing with sustainability through the preservation of nature:

ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत्।
तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथा मा गृधः कस्यस्विद्धनम् ॥

Its meaning is:

“The entire Universe is pervaded by God. Enjoy all nature as gifts from God but with a spirit of renunciation. Do not be attached to them, and do not covet the wealth of others.
Control Greed!”