Ethics in accounting and finance is a complex and multifaceted issue. Professionals often face scenarios where the ‘right’ choice is not always clear-cut, and decisions may involve weighing multiple considerations with no obvious solution. This grey area requires accountants and financiers to exercise not only technical expertise but also strong moral judgement.

While CA ANZ offers a range of resources to assist members to comply with their ethical obligations, YouTube can also be a valuable source of information. Here, we look at a selection of videos that explore the topic from a range of perspectives, from creating an ethical culture within an organisation to approaching ethical dilemmas.

1. Ethical Leadership: A Conversation with Mark Babington

Run time: 11 minutes

In this video, Mark Babington, executive director of regulatory standards at the UK’s Financial Reporting Council and a member of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA), presents critical questions and insights to help accountants understand not only how ethics apply to their everyday work, but the impact their decisions are going to have in the future.

Babington, who will be leading a ‘Sharing Knowledge’ event about sustainability assurance independence on Thursday 20 February, says professionals are being asked to report on types of information that were never previously reported on. He says sustainability reporting, for example, is now as important as financial reporting, and it can be more subjective and forward-looking, so there is a greater degree of uncertainty. Forethought and preparation are key.

Babington examines what ethical leadership looks like, how you can support an ethical culture, the role accountants must play in ethical decision-making, and more.

This talk formed a part of six presentations in a series created by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) for Global Ethics Day in 2024. The remaining videos feature finance leaders from different backgrounds and industries around the world discussing the critical role of ethics in leadership.

2. Ethics Case Study: It Was Just a Careless Mistake

Run time: 3 minutes

This animated video from the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants offers a short case study, in which an accountant is faced with an ethical dilemma relating to financial reporting. It covers issues such as integrity, self-interest and intimidation by colleagues, looking into the responses available and what an accountant should do in a similar situation.

3. Accounting Ethics: How Accountants Solve Ethical Dilemmas

Run time: 21 minutes

Sabine D’Amico, an adjunct accounting professor at Moorpark College in California, explores the philosophies and principles that underpin how accountants should approach ethical dilemmas. D’Amico points out that complying with the law is a minimum requirement – the profession’s commitment to acting in the public interest typically requires a much higher standard of ethical behaviour. She points to Josephson’s six pillars of character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship) as a useful guide to handling tricky ethical situations.