54% of finance staff want roles with social impact, ACCA finds

More than half (54%) of UK finance professionals want roles that deliver social impact, according to ACCA’s annual talent trends survey, which suggests that purpose – rather than pay – is a defining factor in how employees make career decisions and measure success.

The survey revealed that a further 47% want their work to address environmental and climate challenges.

Historically, accountants were once primarily scorekeepers of business performance. However, ACCA’s findings show that they increasingly help organisations balance profitability with ethics, environmental responsibility and social value.

This evolution is pronounced among younger professionals, with 63% stating an employer’s reputation on social and human rights dictates where they choose to work.

However, this shift is creating recruitment challenges, as 49% of respondents expect their next career move to take them outside their current workplace. Furthermore, 48% expressed dissatisfaction with their current level of pay.

The data also highlighted shifting demographics, with up to six generations now coexisting in the finance workforce. One third of respondents reported that cross-generational collaboration remains a challenge, while 62% of workers aged 62 and over want the value of older employees recognised.

Workplace pressures continue to impact wellbeing, with 47% stating their mental health suffers due to job demands.

While 67% of younger workers aged 18 to 27 prefer returning to the office, hybrid working arrangements remain the overall preference for most staff.

Jamie Lyon, global head of skills, sectors and technology at ACCA, said: “One of the key themes we continue to see across the UK this year is how accountants have ambitions around making a difference on social impact issues through the work they perform. 

“It’s great to see that many are already contributing to this agenda through their current finance jobs. It’s more evidence of how roles and career paths in accountancy continue to transform and broaden out.”

Glenn Collins, head of technical and strategic engagement at ACCA UK, added: “What this survey tells us is that finance professionals in the UK are no longer willing to separate their technical expertise from the broader impact of their work. The opportunity for employers is to harness that and to position their finance function not just as a reporting engine, but as a driver of social value.”