ACCA survey finds finance workers drawn to social impact

ACCA has published its annual Global Talent Trends Survey of accountancy and finance professionals, which found strong demand for finance roles linked to social and environmental issues.

More than 11,000 people in 160 countries took part in the study, which ACCA described as the profession's largest annual global talent survey. More than one in three respondents said their role was helping their employer address environmental and climate issues, while 45% said they were helping their employer address social impact issues.

The findings point to a shift in how many finance professionals view their work. Almost 70% said they wanted future finance roles that make a difference to social impact, and 63% wanted jobs that help tackle environmental and climate challenges.

That shift comes alongside broader changes in employers' expectations. Three-quarters of respondents said employers' reputation on social and human rights issues was an important attraction factor, rising to 82% among Gen Z.

AI concerns

The survey showed mixed attitudes to artificial intelligence. While 82% of respondents said they were confident in their ability to develop AI-related skills, 51% were worried about AI's potential impact on their jobs.

Concerns also extended to recruitment. Some 48% said they were uneasy about the use of AI algorithms in hiring, and 54% of board-level leaders also expressed doubts about growing reliance on AI to select talent.

The results suggest employers face a complex labour market as technology reshapes job design and workers reassess what they want from their careers. More than half of respondents (52%) said they expected their next career move to be outside their current organisation.

Work pressures

Pay and well-being remain pressure points. The survey found that 55% of respondents were dissatisfied with their current compensation as cost-of-living pressures continued to shape wage expectations.

Mental health was another area of strain, with 54% saying work pressures were harming their mental health. The data suggests progress on workplace well-being has stalled, even as employers continue to focus on retention.

Working patterns also remain unsettled. Gen Z respondents were identified as leading the move back to the office, although hybrid working remained the preferred arrangement overall.

Generational tensions

Changing workforce demographics mean there could now be as many as six generations in the finance workforce, according to ACCA. Against that backdrop, 42% of respondents said cross-generational collaboration was a challenge.

The study also highlighted a strong interest in entrepreneurship. Overall, 54% of respondents reported having entrepreneurial ambitions, including 48% of women.

Jamie Lyon, ACCA's Global Head of Skills, Sectors and Technology, said the results showed finance work was broadening beyond traditional reporting and control functions, with demand for roles connected to social impact emerging as a clear theme.

"One of the key themes that we continue to see this year is how accountants have ambitions around making a difference on social impact issues through the work they perform. It's great to see that many say they are actually already contributing to this agenda through their current finance jobs. It's more evidence of how roles and career paths in accountancy continue to transform and broaden out," said Lyon.

The figures indicate that finance teams are taking on a larger role in sustainability, social value, and workforce change, while employers contend with retention risks, pay dissatisfaction, and uncertainty about AI. More than half of respondents said they expected their next move to be outside their current organisation.