CA ANZ’s latest Climate and Nature Member Survey highlights a profession preparing for a changing reporting environment. While climate-related disclosures are not yet relevant to many members’ day-to-day role, more than two in five members already see them as relevant, and many more expect this relevance to grow in their future roles.

For members, this means climate and sustainability knowledge is becoming a part of the professional skillset – not just for those working directly on climate and sustainability disclosure, but across finance, assurance, governance, risk and business decision making.

The focus is shifting to implementation

For members involved in climate-related disclosures, the challenge is about putting requirements into practice.

Members highlighted difficulties with understanding and quantifying the current and anticipated financial effects of climate-related risks and opportunities, capturing and gathering relevant data, measuring Scope 3 emissions and carrying out scenario analysis. Building knowledge and preparing documentation to support emissions disclosures are also a part of the challenge.

These challenges highlight the breadth of skills involved in implementing climate-related disclosure requirements. It is not simply a matter of understanding disclosure requirements. Members also need to leverage their existing capabilities to work across financial impacts, data and systems, governance, scenario analysis and assurance. Members also highlighted the challenges associated with capability uplift such as building knowledge and resourcing. For organisations at different stages of implementation, the practical priorities will also vary. The survey reinforces the value of support that can be applied to different roles, sectors and organisational circumstances. CA ANZ’s Sustainability Playbook is designed to help members build capability in sustainability disclosure and assurance.

Members want tools they can use

Members are looking for practical ways to build capability and apply what they learn, including through webinars, practical guides, checklists and templates.

This preference is reflected in members’ broader feedback, with requests for worked examples, implementation guidance, templates and resources on sustainability assurance.

Members are looking beyond awareness and want resources that help them take the next step – whether that is understanding a requirement, establishing a reporting process, improving data quality or preparing for assurance.

CA ANZ’s Sustainability Resource Centre features climate-related disclosure information guides, the Sustainability Playbook, sustainability assurance resources. Webinars and communities of practice also provide members with opportunities to build their knowledge and apply it in practice.

Supporting members at different stages

For some, climate-related disclosure and assurance are already part of their work. For others, climate-related issues are not currently a priority. Building familiarity now can help members prepare for future responsibilities as climate-related considerations become more relevant across the profession.

Nature-related risks are less familiar to many members, reinforcing the need for accessible guidance as understanding and reporting expectations develop.

The goal is to ensure members have enough knowledge to understand how these issues may intersect with their role, apply their existing professional skills to new requirements, and know where to turn when they need more detailed guidance or build deeper expertise. CA ANZ resources can help members find relevant guidance and apply it to their role.