Bandung, June 16, 2023 – The international webinar on "Bridging the United Nations SDGs to the Inner Development Goals: How Accountants Can Fasten the Implementation of The SDGs" was organized by the Master's Program in Accounting, Faculty of Business, Maranatha Christian University.
The International Webinar on "Bridging the United Nations SDGs to the Inner Development Goals, How Accountants Can Fasten the Implementation of The SDGs" was successfully held online at Maranatha Christian University using the Zoom platform. The webinar, organized by the Master's Program in Accounting, Faculty of Business, Maranatha Christian University, was attended by students from the Master's Program in Management, undergraduate students majoring in Accounting and Management at Maranatha Christian University, as well as students from other universities in Indonesia and abroad. Faculty members from the Faculty of Business, Maranatha Christian University, also participated in the event.
With approximately 100 participants, the webinar aimed to provide insights to the attendees about strategies to contribute to the fulfillment of the United Nations SDGs agenda and the role of accountants in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The broader expectation was to increase the number of sustainable development mission implementers worldwide, to leave a better and friendlier world for future generations.
The webinar, chaired by Dr. Rapina, S.E., M.Si., Ak., CA., Head of the Master's Program in Accounting, was supported by Mr. Joni, Ak., CA., Ph.D., as the moderator, and Mr. Dr. Surya Setyawan, S.E., M.Si. as the MC. Competent speakers in their respective fields were introduced to the participants.
The first speaker, Dr. Nicolene du Preez, Lead Researcher & Global Education Thought Leader, is an expert in SDGs. She has extensive experience in teacher training at the tertiary level and has implemented high-level professional development in many education and non-education organizations. She is one of the co-founders of Open Flow Learning Centre, Biomimicry Works, tamED Studio - Nature Edutainment & Content Creation, and untamED Studio, which is the Inner Development Goals Hub for Indonesia. She provided insights into measuring and reporting the sustainability performance of companies. She explained how accountants play a crucial role in developing relevant performance measurement methods aligned with the SDGs, including measuring social and environmental impacts, as well as the importance of transparent reporting.
The second speaker, Mr. Peter Thomas Sudiyasa Philips from Open Flow Learning Centre, provided insights into managing sustainability-related risks. He has over a decade of experience across various forms of traditional, independent, and progressive education systems, as well as approaches to education. He has led numerous collectives of deep thinkers and highly creative people in design, strategic planning, conscious branding, and marketing. He highlighted how accountants can help organizations identify, measure, and manage such risks. In this context, accountants play a crucial role in integrating sustainable business practices and reducing risks that can affect long-term performance.
The final speaker, Ms. Hanny, S.E., M.Si., Ak., CA, CSRS, CSRA, a lecturer from the Accounting Program, Faculty of Business, Maranatha Christian University, discussed how accountants contribute to the SDGs agenda through their various roles in the business world. She also emphasized that in these roles, accountants need to have a high awareness of the importance of considering sustainability issues in every aspect of corporate planning, operations, and performance evaluation. This way, the business world can contribute positively not only to the economic field but also to the social and environmental aspects in line with the SDGs.
The essence of this International Webinar is that every organization must translate the UN SDGs agenda into specific objectives, implementation strategies, and internal performance evaluation. In this regard, accountants can enhance their contribution to the SDGs agenda, including their role as auditors.
By actively involving accountants in sustainability efforts, it is hoped that companies in Indonesia can accelerate the implementation of SDGs and create a better and more sustainable world.
