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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Build your

skills for a

career in ESG

In the emerging ESG field, almost everyone is still adapting

and learning. Several professionals explain how they made the
transition into this key, fast-growing practice area.

By Andrew Kenney

ast November, Jackie Umstead, CPA, started reached out to other leaders at PwC and said that
the next chapter of her career — though she she wanted to be part of the firm’s expanding
L didn’t know it at first. effort to serve ESG needs.
An auditor by trade, she was working at PwC as Today, she’s a director with PwC’s trust
a director focused on public accountancy and mul- solutions practice in ESG, part of a larger group
tinational companies. But she sensed that her future working in the area. “It’s been a whirlwind, to say
might be in a new specialty: the fast-growing effort the least,” Umstead said, “but really fulfilling.”
to track businesses’ performance on environmental, And the lessons she and others have learned
social, and governance (ESG) issues. could provide a road map for accountants to build
Umstead’s transition into ESG started with their expertise in this emerging field.
a specific client’s project. She learned that the Jumping into a specialty as new as ESG isn’t
client wanted to obtain attestation for data they easy for accountants or their employers. Account-
were collecting on diversity, equity, and inclusion ing firms are looking for employees with strength
— one of the pillars of ESG. Umstead raised her in the core accounting disciplines as well as subject IMAGE BY NATROT/GETTY IMAGES
hand to help. matter expertise in areas like carbon emissions and
“It helped flex a new muscle,” Umstead said knowledge of sustainability standards that are still
of the project. As she developed new skills, she in the draft stage.

22 | Journal of Accountancy January 2023