ACCA’s Ann Lamb explains why ACCA is keeping ethics at the heart of their flagship qualification.
The Ethics and Professional Skills module will no longer be part of the ACCA qualification following the 2027 redesign.
However, that doesn’t mean ACCA has forgotten about ethics. Quite the opposite. We recognise that ethical principles are still the foundation of everything professional accountants do. Because when every decision made has far-reaching implications, trust is paramount.
In a world of ever-shifting opportunities and challenges presented by the rise of AI and sustainability, ACCA’s future members will have their ethical judgement tested more than ever before. Ethical issues around privacy, consent, algorithmic bias, intellectual property and accountability for machine-assisted decisions must be navigated. Meanwhile, while financial success remains critically important, a new way of business is emerging that focuses on environmental and social sustainability. Our future members must allocate resources in ways that achieve financial, economic, social and environmental returns – to drive profitability at the same time as driving sustainability.
That’s why our commitment to the ACCA qualification’s purpose remains unaltered – to act in the public interest by developing trusted finance professionals. As a result, ethics and professional skills will continue to be embedded throughout the entire redesigned ACCA qualification – in our exams, Practical Experience Requirement and new Essential Employability Modules.
Within our exams
In the workplace, professional accountants don’t encounter ethical questions in isolation. Ethical considerations are integrated within the full spectrum of their work, whether it be in audit planning, tax advice, sustainability assurance, data analytics or perhaps even AI deployment.
That’s why ethics will continue to be woven into the fabric of our exams, within contexts and scenarios where our future members might face them. We will encourage students to recognise ethical dimensions as a natural and essential part of a professional accountant’s decision- making process.
Across our exam syllabi, students will continue to gain the knowledge and skills to make ethical decisions in a range of professional settings, covering topics like integrity, objectivity and professional behaviour. And by integrating ethics throughout all our exam levels we’ll be supporting future career-long habits from day one. This will help to ensure our future members will be able to spot dilemmas early, challenge appropriately, and act in the public interest– every time.
Essential Employability Modules
Our qualification redesign features an Essential Employability Module at each level of the ACCA qualification, which must be passed alongside the exams for that level. Within each of these modules students will have to demonstrate sound ethical judgement.
For example, in our Responsible Business Management module at the Knowledge level, students will practise applying ACCA’s Code of Ethics to common workplace dilemmas.
Meanwhile, within our Digital Tech and Innovation module at Expertise level, ethics is embedded into the decision-making students will be assessed on around technology use.
Finally, reflecting the need for tomorrow’s accountancy leaders to not just act with integrity, but operate in a genuinely sustainable way that balances environmental and social considerations, at Strategic Professional students will be required to complete the Ethical, Sustainable Leadership Essential Employability Module.
As part of our transition rules, depending on their existing progress, some students may not be required to complete some of these modules.
Please use our Transition tool for further information.
Practical Experience Requirement
Our Practical Experience Requirement will continue to provide a framework for our future members to live out and experience ethical considerations in the workplace. For example, our Essential Performance objective, Ethics and Professionalism, will continue to require future members to show lived examples of where they have acted in the wider public interest.
Evidencing how they have used their professional judgement, personal values and scepticism to evaluate data to make sound ethical decisions.
Meanwhile, within reflective statements future members have the opportunity to reflect on how they managed ethical dilemmas, applied ACCA’s Code of Ethics, escalated concerns or upheld professional values.
Qualification changes in 2027
The Ethics and Professional Skills module will continue to be available. If you are approaching or currently at the Strategic Professional level we’d encourage you take the module.
Alongside supporting your ethical decision making, the module will also develop a number of professional skills such as leadership, communication and commercial awareness, which will maximise your chances of exam success.
For more information on the future ACCA qualification structure please visit our website.
- Ann Lamb is Director of Professional Qualifications at ACCA
