Adoption of Sustainable Accounting Practices for Reporting Erasmus Project

Project Title

Adoption of Sustainable Accounting Practices for Reporting

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Environment and climate change; Enterprise, industry and SMEs (incl. entrepreneurship)

Project Summary

BACKGROUND
There are a number of frameworks, standards and protocols to assist companies adopt and implement the sustainability practices. However, those frameworks, standards and protocols can be complex, especially for SMEs, and are designed as “one size fits all” with large enterprises in mind (Tutterow, 2014). SMEs today, lack important knowledge regarding sustainability problems (many SMEs admit to confusion over what sustainability is and which programme to follow to introduce sustainability into their businesses). At the same time accountants need to know more about the principles of sustainability if they are to take an independent proactive approach to their work. Report-ASAP concerns the lack of specific experts and expertise in relation to sustainable accounting and reporting practices and techniques.

OBJECTIVES
– A useful first step to implement sustainability for SMEs.
– Encourage the spread of a CSR culture among SMEs operating in the six EU countries of the partnership.
– Make sustainability easy to implement while delivering business benefits in terms of cost savings, marketing and employee engagement.
– Practical sustainability advice: cover key topics such as energy efficiency, waste and recycling, travel, food, water, health and well-being.
– Develop policies/practices to make it easier for SMEs to adopt sustainable practices in their day to day business.

PARTICIPANTS [7 partners from 6 countries]
The partnership comprises a university actively supporting the up-skilling of SMEs from the region, a software house with significant experience in bespoke web applications, a HEI Foundation which promotes the development of collaboration channels within its socioeconomic environment, a business school and business incubator, a consultancy offering accounting and training services to SMEs, a chamber serving SME members and an educational technology specialist with experience in personalised learning.

ACTIVITIES
– An analysis of the current awareness of target groups in relation to sustainable accounting and the benefits of corporate sustainability practices in terms of cost savings, marketing and employee engagement.
– The design and development of an online training course and supporting tools addressing the missing knowledge and expertise for the adoption of sustainable accounting practices by SMEs.
– The establishment of a framework for the recognition of skills and achievements by learners.
– The validation of the training course through training sessions.
– The dissemination of the training course through multiplier events and its sustainability through the growth of a network of adopters facilitated by a virtual space providing infrastructure, resources and assistance.

METHODOLOGY
– Identify and depict the existing approaches to “Sustainable Accounting” and determine the missing knowledge and skills
– Compare national approaches from a critical viewpoint leading to “Sustainability Reporting Literacy Levels” across participating countries
– Derive a set of recommendations to help even out the “Sustainability Literacy” levels
– Design & Develop a Training Course addressing the identified shortage in knowledge and skills.
– Model the course inside a Learning Motivation Environment (LME)
– Design a dynamic demonstrator to visually explain key concepts of the course.
– Create a virtual space as the single entry point to all outputs and provide the necessary infrastructure to support and grow a network of adopters.

RESULTS
– Set of recommendations for addressing the shortage in knowledge and skills related to sustainable accounting
– Training Course and Trainer’s Guide
– Online Delivery Environment and Dynamic Demonstrator
– Open Badges Framework for skills and achievements recognition
– A virtual space providing the necessary infrastructure to support an international network of adopters.

IMPACT
– Increased awareness about Sustainable Accounting practices and reporting systems
– Acquisition of Sustainable Accounting skills.
– Mobility through ECVET provisions and the Skills and Achievements Recognition Framework.
– Improvement of current training opportunities and tools in support of sustainable accounting and reporting practices and techniques.
– Increased trust among investors and consumers.
– Promotion of Sustainable Accounting practices as part of a Corporate Social Responsibility policy.
– Accessible training opportunities of high quality and value.
– Improvement of company image and positive impact on balance sheet.

LONG TERM BENEFITS
The diffusion of the CSR culture among SMEs operating in the six European countries of the partnership. Benefits of sustainability reporting for SMEs include increased appeal to environmentally conscious customers, strengthening relationships with suppliers, positioning their brand as a good corporate citizen, generating greater loyalty and commitment from employees, and reducing operating costs resulting in improved profitability.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 287654,05 Eur

Project Coordinator

STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY & Country: UK

Project Partners

• RUSENSKA TARGOVSKO INDUSTRIALNA KAMARA
• ASSERTED KNOWLEDGE OMORRYTHMOS ETAIREIA
• FUNDACION GENERAL UNIVERSIDAD DE GRANADA
• CIVIC COMPUTING LIMITED
• EUROCREA MERCHANT SRL
• VISOKA POSLOVNA SKOLA PAR