Deloitte Joins ICAEW and A4S to Recognise Sustainable Businesses

Entries for the Finance for the Future Awards, now in its 5^th year running, are open. Deloitte has joined the founding organisations, ICAEW and A4S, as a partner to work with them in taking the programme forward. The awards recognise the role played by the finance profession in driving sustainable business models and economies.  The awards ceremony will take place on 13 October in London.

The annual awards are a part of the Finance for the Future programme, which aims to develop a community of engaged finance professionals committed to creating more sustainable outcomes for their organisations and for society as a whole. Since their creation in 2012, the awards have continued to grow and last year attracted a record number of entrants. 2015 winners included SSE, Carbon Tracker Initiative and Sussex Community NHS Trust.

This year’s awards will feature seven categories:

Four categories open to organisations and their finance functions:

• Large business
• Small and medium-sized enterprise
• Public sector and third sector
• Communicating integrated thinking

One category open to investors and the capital markets:

• Investing and Financing

Two categories open to individuals:

• Innovative new idea
• Finance leader of the future

Richard Spencer, Head of Sustainability at ICAEW said: “The finance function plays a crucial role in driving a sustainable economy. Businesses of all sizes are strongly encouraged to apply – this is not just about gaining recognition for the valuable work that they do, but also about inspiring others, and showing sustainability and success go hand in hand. Finance professionals who are able to combine the two deserve to be recognised for their efforts and we hope to see many of them at the ceremony this year.”

Jessica Fries, Executive Chairman at A4S said: “The Finance for the Future Awards provide a key platform for finance leaders and their teams to demonstrate how they are working to create sustainable business models. The growth of the awards programme highlights the tangible difference being made by finance teams to integrate sustainability. We look forward to receiving entries from around the world which bring to life practical ways to achieve success sustainably, and to celebrating how finance can lead the way in moving towards a more sustainable economy.”

Veronica Poole, global IFRS leader and UK Head of Accounting at Deloitte, said: “The challenge of building trust in business organisations is one of the hardest issues for organisations to get to grips with. At the heart of this is the need to create confidence in the resilience and sustainability of their business model. The finance function is pivotal in demonstrating Integrated Thinking across the organisation and encouraging ethical business behaviour. Over the past few years the Finance for the Future awards have pointed the way by recognising some of the greatest examples of sustainable business practices. Partnering with the ICAEW and A4S for this year’s awards we look forward to rewarding outstanding businesses and the sustainability achievements they have made. Other businesses will have much to learn from the best practices the awards aim to highlight.”

The entry deadline is Friday 13 May 2016, with the assessment and judging process due take place from June to September 2016. Winners will be announced at the ceremony on 13 October in London. Entry forms and further information can be found here: www.financeforthefuture.co.uk