Undoubtedly, the last two years have brought about drastic change. Yet in 2020 — and again in 2021 — many of you continued to pivot and adapt to this ever-shifting landscape. As we begin 2022, that nimbleness is needed once again. Most of us are cautious about what the new year may bring for our profession and the world at large. But we need to maintain the agility we’ve cultivated over the past two years to enable continued growth and positive progress.
Here are my recommendations on how you can keep up the momentum as you dive into another uncertain year.
Commit to learning, unlearning and relearning and expand your skills to thrive in 2022. You cannot complete this pledge in a few weeks. It’s a continual, yearlong process of development — but will ultimately help you, your businesses and your employees succeed. The learning initiatives you focus on this year will enable you to leverage change within your organisation, your career and help ensure the growth of the business and profession.
Grow your digital mindset to embrace the major digital transformation in finance. We all need to stay on top of these developments. To help ensure your employees are ready to make the most of this transformative time, prioritise technology implementation and training on digital skills. The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants® can help you do that. The AICPA® & CIMA® Digital Mindset Pack harnesses the Association’s future-focused product range from blockchain and robotic process automation (RPA) to artificial intelligence. This learning can help you stay agile and reinvent finance for the digital world. You can also earn digital badges for a variety of skills. These badges, available through the CGMA® Store, act as a representation of your competencies, expertise and achievements. Digital badges help recognise and publicise your professional development.
Get comfortable with ESG. In 2022, we will continue to see an emphasis on evolving corporate reporting, and accountants and finance professionals must answer the emerging sustainability call to action. Finance must lead the transformation of corporate reporting to implement ESG matters, which drives trust. I see the profession truly living up to that challenge, and the AICPA & CIMA are here to help in that mission. For example, last year we released the sustainability series — a collection of insights that explore the intersection of sustainability, businesses and the finance profession. By daring together, we can learn so much from the experiences of others. That’s why the AICPA & CIMA, through the Association, have combined forces to support the profession. Remember, we are here to help you. The road ahead is uncertain. However, I know that, after witnessing the efforts and accomplishments of the last two years, you’re up to the challenge.
Best wishes for 2022.