USA - read about event here...
This year’s AGM attracted a record turnout of over 150 members, students and their guests to a business meeting, reception and dinner at the Yale Club in New York City.
In keeping with ACCA’s global theme of "Professionalism & Ethics," designed to mark the launch of the new ACCA Qualification, Jude A. Curtis, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, was invited to be the keynote speaker. Mr. Curtis is a principal with the firm and a resident in PwC’s' New York Office. He is responsible for PwC’s ethics and compliance program in the United States covering all of the organization’s practices and its 30,000 partners and staff.
Summary of keynote address given by Jude Curtis, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, PricewaterhouseCoopers at the ACCA-US AGM, May 11, 2007
In his opening remarks, Mr. Curtis noted, that, during his review of background information on ACCA, he learned that the organization is a strong and growing global brand, with a distinct focus on ethics and professionalism. He was also happy to learn that PricewaterhouseCoopers member firms globally include among their ranks over 2500 ACCA members and almost 2300 ACCA students.
During the course of his address he emphasized that while knowledge, skill, and experience all play a role in one’s success - “just as important, often more important, are professional judgment and integrity. Judgment that is based on a strong ethical framework. Judgment that is consistently applied. Judgment that creates and sustains a reputation for quality and integrity. Judgment that leads to trust.”
Mr. Curtis, in quoting from a National Business Ethics Survey, noted that over a period of time, a large number of employees see one or two, or perhaps more instances of misconduct. Commenting on whether these were inherently unethical people - - “That has not been my experience,” he noted. “Instead, more often than not, the individuals I have seen who engaged in misconduct consider themselves ethical people, and seem to be, but they have crossed the line and engaged in some inappropriate behavior. It is often an error in judgment, or a misconception about what is acceptable, or the consequence of taking a shortcut when pressed for time, or in many cases, what I would characterize frankly as a stupid mistake.” He went on to say that misconduct like this happens because, “in many cases, the culture, or the lack of an ethical culture of an organization seems to contribute to the unethical act by the individual.”
It is the people, their behavior, their interactions, and the dynamics of the business environment they are in, that shape the culture, he noted, while adding that creating and sustaining an ethical culture starts at the top of the organization. Mr. Curtis also noted that the rules are not always black and white and one needs to embrace not only the letter of the rules but their spirit as well.
In closing, he said, “I want to leave you with a sense of optimism. Yours is a profession committed to doing the right thing and restoring the public trust. From my vantage point, I have seen a strong commitment to ethics by my firm and others. I have been impressed by the integrity and professionalism of our people as well as accountants from other firms and companies. The ACCA, in committing to professionalism and ethics, is another part of the solution. The days ahead are surely bright.”