Challenges in reporting on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: A management accounting focus

This research, led by Matteo Molinari, senior lecturer in accounting and finance at the University of Roehampton in the UK, explored how management accountants within a large Italian multi-utility company contributed to the reporting and managing of two UN Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 7, Affordable and Clean Energy; and Goal 13, Climate Action), both of which are particularly relevant to companies operating in environmentally sensitive industries.

The study provides insights into the ways management accounting and control practices are adopted, to help align the activity of organisations with the expectations of stakeholders, and to contribute to overcoming SDGs reporting challenges. It presents a 7 steps-cycle of management accountants’ work to implement and purposely address the challenges embedded in SDGs reporting and also provides examples of Key Performance Indicators for the two SDG’s.

It uncovers enhanced working activities and responsibilities for management accountants, who need to be prepared for the implementation of different reporting tools, techniques and practices in order to pursue the SDGs and cope with the related reporting challenges.

The findings present hybrid”, dynamic, and contextual-based view of the management accountants’ role, with them s being involved in both “bean counting” and “business advocate” type of activities based on the way in which they position themselves within organisational teams and influence organisational decision-making process.