TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 12/12/12 -- The coming years will see Canadian business, policy makers and society at a tipping point in their relationship with the green economy, concludes a new report from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants).

The report discusses the issues around one fundamental question: "Is Canada ready for the green economy?", concluding that the country is reaching a decisive moment, one where the accountancy profession has a critical role to play in ensuring that the outcome is not to the detriment of Canada's future generations and the natural resources on which it depends.

The report gathers opinions from two ACCA-organized roundtables held earlier in the year in Vancouver and Toronto. Delegates at these events were asked what they and their organizations needed most to help them prepare for and participate in the green economy. Their top three priorities were:

1.  More guidance and tools are needed from relevant industry or
    professional bodies to improve the practical knowledge and skill of
    practitioners 
2.  Market insights and trends analysis was also seen as important, to help
    clarify how the green economy is developing 
3.  A better understanding is needed of Canada's national and regional
    policy context and implications, and how these converge with each other
    and with the private sector. 

Suzanne Godbehere, head of ACCA Canada says: "The green economy demands our attention as we are reaching a critical and pivotal time - how far that balance goes will depend on the global market and its appetite for Canada's raw materials, as much as on national and provincial priorities, choices and treaties here."

Steven Fish, Executive Director at Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) adds: "ACCA's report, 'Canada and the green economy' reinforces the critical role accountants have in embedding sustainability into business operations. They build the case, articulate the risk associated with ignoring global social and environmental challenges, and ultimately build CFO buy-in."

Suzanne Godbehere continues: "Governance and measurement is a key issue for Canada, especially when it comes to supporting treaties. 2011 and 2012 have been a challenging time for Canada on the international stage. In November 2011, Canada withdrew from the Kyoto Climate Treaty; Canada was also seen as one of the oil-producing countries that blocked a clause in phasing out fossil fuel subsidies at the Rio +20 Earth Summit. At a provincial level, challenges are being addressed, but on a federal level there are gaps."

The report also includes case studies which illustrate the challenges faced by Canadian businesses when embracing the green economy. They are:

--  Walmart's Balzac refrigerated food distribution centre near Calgary is
    one of the greenest commercial buildings in the country, combining
    renewable power with smart design to radically reduce its environmental
    footprint. 
--  Better Place, whose Ontario pilot is helping to bring sustainable
    motoring to Canada through an integrated approach to electric vehicles,
    batteries, financing and charging infrastructure. 
--  Loblaw's commitment to sustainable fish procurement and retailing has
    expanded the use of sustainability certification across many different
    species of seafood and earned the company significant recognition for
    its comprehensive efforts. 
--  Domtar and its efforts to ensure the sustainability credentials of its
    products and provide a full suite of sustainability information to
    buyers through its innovative Paper Trail online tool. 
--  Vancity's support for its customers' sustainability choices through auto
    loans, home improvement loans and green business financing that favours
    greener options. 

Moving to the green economy was also seen as important by delegates. Suzanne Godbehere concludes: "Canada faces its own particular challenges and opportunities when it comes to transitioning to a green economy. While the country has a huge wealth of natural capital, it is also highly diversified economically, and has proven resilient to external shocks. The part accountants play in addressing and helping with this transition is important - and thankfully the report asserts that they are now better briefed, equipped and ready to play their part in embracing the green economy in Canada.

"At both roundtables, there was a real sense that the accountancy profession holds the key to accurately valuing and embedding natural assets within the economy - they can help to inspire and enable the necessary transition and change."

Here is the link to the full report:

http://www.accaglobal.com/content/dam/acca/global/PDF-technical/environmental-publications/tech-afb-catge.pdf

Notes to Editors

About ACCA

1.  ACCA is not affiliated with any chartered accountant (CA) organization. 
2.  ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global
    body for professional accountants. We aim to offer business-relevant,
    first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and
    ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy,
    finance and management. 
3.  We support our 154,000 members and 432,000 students in 170 countries,
    helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business,
    with the skills required by employers. We work through a network of over
    80 offices and centres and more than 8,400 Approved Employers worldwide,
    who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through
    our public interest remit, we promote appropriate regulation of
    accounting and conduct relevant research to ensure accountancy continues
    to grow in reputation and influence. 
4.  ACCA Canada has around 2,300 members and 1,300 students in Canada. 
5.  Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values:
    opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. We
    believe that accountants bring value to economies in all stages of
    development and seek to develop capacity in the profession and encourage
    the adoption of global standards. Our values are aligned to the needs of
    employers in all sectors and we ensure that through our qualifications,
    we prepare accountants for business. We seek to open up the profession
    to people of all backgrounds and remove artificial barriers, innovating
    our qualifications and delivery to meet the diverse needs of trainee
    professionals and their employers. 

About Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR)

1.  Founded in 1995, Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) is a
    non-profit, member-led organization that works with Canadian companies
    to improve their social and environmental performance. 
2.  The globally recognized source for corporate social responsibility in
    Canada, CBSR is the Canadian representative in a world-wide network
    committed to corporate social responsibility.