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everyone is still adapting and learning. But that may ‘You have nothing
In short, it’s an emerging field where almost
also mean it’s the perfect time to get started.
“You have nothing to lose by educating yourself to lose by educating
on ESG,” said Colleen Rozillis, a partner at Moss
Adams LLP leading business consulting services. “It
absolutely is the future of our profession.” yourself on ESG. It

THE DIFFERENT ROLES OF ACCOUNTANTS, absolutely is the future
EXPERTS, AND CONSULTANTS
Before you can find your own ESG path, it’s
important to understand the variety of roles that of our profession.’
comprise the ESG teams recently created by public
accounting firms.
Colleen Rozillis, a partner at Moss Adams LLP
As large accounting firms build their ESG
leading business consulting services.
practices, they’re hiring staff with audit and
attestation skills, strategy-oriented consultants, and
nonaccountant technical experts. “We are all coming
from different backgrounds — engineers, those that
have done tours in Peace Corps, lobbyists, people in president of professional practice at the CAQ,
public policymaking,” Umstead said. which is affiliated with the AICPA.
A recent survey by the Center for Audit Quality But interpreting and applying new sustain-
(CAQ) found that 93% of public companies issued ability standards will be just one part of an ESG
an ESG report or similar document and that 63% team’s work. Some ESG leaders are also hiring
of those had obtained some form of assurance or experts outside the accounting profession in
verification over certain ESG metrics or information. climate and other topics, who will work closely
In interviews, several firms reported that their with auditors and accountants.
early work is largely focused on carbon emissions Finally, firms are looking for team members who
reporting, which requires companies to track their can help clients assess their needs and craft a larger
carbon footprint and report it under a standard strategy for ESG reporting and compliance. That
such as the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. The might include finance and accounting professionals
pressure for companies to report on their climate who have worked on transformational projects.
change impacts is only expected to grow under a “We’re always looking for people who’ve been
draft proposal published by the SEC. in consulting roles, especially those who’ve taken
For that reason, ESG teams are especially focused companies through an ESG journey, from scratch About the
on recruiting people with experience in interpreting to report — irrespective of where they are in the author
and implementing new accounting standards, with process. We’re also looking for consultants who
some drawing a comparison to the implementation understand how to integrate sustainability into Andrew Kenney is
of Sarbanes-Oxley standards. Under the Sarbanes- corporate strategy and deliver long-term value for a freelance writer
Oxley Act of 2002, P.L. 107-204, the SEC required stakeholders,” said Karen Baum, CPA, leader of based in Colorado.
companies to implement new disclosure controls and ESG and sustainability services for BDO USA.
procedures in order to foster more reliable financial Firms will fill these new roles in various ways.
reporting and enhance audit quality. That effort to Every new team faces this question, Baum explained:
guarantee quality information for investors and oth- “Do you build, do you buy, or do you partner [to
ers could provide a blueprint for carbon emissions bring the expertise into the firm]?” The answer will
and other new types of reporting. depend on how quickly and to what degree clients
“Many of the traditional skills that CPAs have are embracing ESG transformation opportunities.
— like looking at process, understanding controls,
and bringing objectivity and standards-based analy- HOW TO MAKE THE LEAP
sis to the review of company-reported informa- ESG teams are hiring from several sources, all in
tion — are transferable to other types of reporting pursuit of the rare candidates with experience and
like climate,” said Dennis McGowan, CPA, vice knowledge in the specialty.

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