Green accounting - digital accounting: Innovative and sustainable resources for the future

On October 30, in Hanoi, the 24th ASEAN Federation of Accountants (24th AFA Conference) with the theme "green accounting and finance - shaping a sustainable future" officially opened, with the participation of 1,500 domestic and international delegates.

This is a very special event, hosted by Vietnam as the President of the ASEAN Federation of Accountants (AFA) for the 2024-2025 term. The conference is organized with close coordination between the Vietnam Association of Accountants and Auditors, the ASEAN Federation of Accountants, international professional organizations and the business community.

The 24th ASEAN Federation of Accountants (24th AFA Conference) was attended by 1,500 domestic and international delegates.

Vietnam steadfastly pursues sustainable development goals

Speaking at the Conference, Deputy Minister of Finance Le Tan Can affirmed that Vietnam always stands side by side with ASEAN and the international community on the journey of green development, comprehensive growth and transparent governance. Accounting and auditing will play a role as the foundation of trust in the economy, helping green capital to be allocated to the right place, to the right target and effectively.

According to the Deputy Minister, Vietnam is determined to pursue sustainable development goals, promote the transition towards environmentally friendly production and consumption, and improve governance efficiency in the public and business sectors. The Government always considers the application of standards and ensuring information quality as an important foundation to build a transparent and healthy capital market and enhance national competitiveness.

Vietnam supports the harmonization of regional standards, promotes measurement, publication and verification of information according to international standards, suitable to ASEAN's actual conditions and respecting differences in development levels among countries.

Deputy Minister of Finance Le Tan Can speaks. Photo: Vietnam Financial Times

Deputy Minister Le Tan Can emphasized that in the context of digitalization and green economy , accountants not only "record the past" but also shape the future through data analysis, ESG (environment, social and governance) assessment framework, risk warning, and policy advice based on transparent data.

The Deputy Minister suggested that the Conference agree on a feasible implementation roadmap, starting with core requirements that are easy to implement. At the same time, it is necessary to improve the capacity of the accounting team and build an effective data interconnection system. After the initial phase, it is possible to conduct verification in accordance with actual conditions to gradually expand the scope of application. The goal is to ensure that the requirements are within the capacity of businesses, but still achieve transparency, reliability and efficiency - so that green capital is allocated to the right place and the right target.

According to the Deputy Minister, Vietnam promotes digital government, digital economy, digital society; encourages AI, blockchain, cloud computing in accounting - auditing - sustainability reporting; and at the same time attaches importance to data security, confidentiality, and technology ethics. Therefore, Deputy Minister Le Tan Can suggested that AFA and its partners pay attention to a controlled testing mechanism to evaluate ESG data, standardize and cross-check information, and narrow the capacity gap, especially for small and medium enterprises.

At the same time, sustainable development is only truly meaningful when no one is left behind, so it is necessary to pay specific and substantial attention to small businesses, startups and the agricultural - rural areas, through simple, low-cost instructions that still ensure the correct standards and quality of information. Encourage the participation of the younger generation, promote diversity and equality, so that "green accounting - digital accounting" becomes a source of innovation and sustainability for the future.

Delegates attending the event

The message of accounting is the language of responsibility and professional ethics.

The 24th ASEAN Federation of Accountants Forum includes 3 discussion sessions on the topics: "Sustainability Accounting and Reporting - Foundation for Transparent Green Finance", "Green Finance Models and Practices", "Training, Technology and Sustainable Future".

Sharing at the Forum, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Dao Tung, Director of the Academy of Finance, said that the school currently has a large number of students studying accounting and auditing. In the new context, to succeed in this field, many outstanding skills are needed, including skills related to understanding of science and technology, such as AI - artificial intelligence.

“Young people, especially those studying economics, must know how to use AI and Blockchain to analyze data before giving results, only then can they clearly grasp and understand financial reports,” Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Dao Tung emphasized.

Besides, according to him, people working in the field of accounting take on the role of an architect - measuring, calculating; in addition, they also have to advise and have a great social responsibility. Therefore, the second important skill is analysis. When receiving reports, it is necessary to be able to analyze and compare.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Dao Tung, Director of the Academy of Finance (left) at the Forum

Another very important issue in this profession is to have professional ethics and social responsibility, to have accurate reports that are useful for the business, for the country and for the world.

“The message of accounting is the language of responsibility and professional ethics. I hope that students - those who work in the accounting industry in the future - will raise their awareness. To do that, we must try from now on,” said Mr. Tung.

Regarding the issue of applying technology to the training program, the Director of the Academy of Finance shared that the entire training program of the school enrolling students in 2025 includes AI-related subjects in teaching. In addition, the school opens many new majors to meet the trend of the times, such as Artificial Intelligence in finance - accounting, Data Science in finance,...

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Dao Tung, the State is currently stepping up investment and support in the management of digital platforms of universities. Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation; as well as policies of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance strongly support this. This is a great opportunity for Vietnam to "take off" in the coming period.

He also said that the Hoa Lac campus - Academy of Finance has received investment from the State in the central database for practice and application. At the same time, the Academy also invited more technology enterprises to sponsor, so that students have the best learning and development environment.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/ke-toan-xanh-ke-toan-so-nguon-luc-doi-moi-sang-tao-va-ben-vung-cho-tuong-lai-10393818.html