Ethical Leadership in an Era of Complexity and Digital Change

In their roles as ethical leaders and trusted advisors, professional accountants rely on professional skills, values, ethics and attitudes to serve their organizations and clients. Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) are collaborating with IFAC to research and report on how complexity in the professional environment, digital disruption, and mis/disinformation impact the importance of professional skills and ethical leadership. This exploratory paper laid the groundwork for an international, virtual roundtable event held on February 2, 2021, that further investigated this area. A thought leadership paper on the event’s outputs, as well as additional research activities, will follow.