ICAS is futureproofing
ICAS is making changes to prepare for the future
ICAS is changing. Change is often welcomed and feared in equal measure, but most organisations cannot stand still for long and risk being overwhelmed by the forward march of society. ICAS is no exception and members are about to witness the considerable changes that have been engaged in within ICAS to set up the organisation – your organisation – for the future.
I should, therefore, like to give you some context to the changes that will become increasingly visible to you as the months progress. It will also answer some of the challenges we receive that ICAS is not listening to members or not preparing for the future.
There have been, over the past few years, a series of extensive and interconnected changes – some visible, some not – that have set up ICAS to meet the needs of members and wider society going forward.
Let me highlight just some of the key ones.
In November 2016 Council approved Project Tapestry with an objective to transform the IT infrastructure within ICAS. Its first goal was to enhance the systems and processes that support our education offering. This was delivered in 2018, on time and on budget, and it has provided ICAS with the platform for further changes.
The arrival of Bruce Cartwright as our Chief Executive in 2018 allowed us the opportunity to look again at what had been a very successful strategy and to see how fit it was for the future. It was clear to your Council that the challenges facing the accountancy profession were going to need a new approach; externally with members and wider society, but also internally to ensure that our organisation and governance were of the highest standard and our member offering was fit for purpose.
A strategy review was therefore embarked on by Council and the Executive, and the outcome is the Corporate Plan 2020-23. I encourage all to read it – as members it is also your plan.
Our internal governance has also been subject to a complete review. Led by Council colleague Philip Johnson and ably supported by other Council members and Michelle Mullen, this has involved a review of all aspects of how ICAS operates. From Council’s own structure and operations, through the constitution of subsidiary boards and how the discipline processes work, all aspects have been reviewed and changes made. Some are now in place; others will still need to be approved by members and you will see these in future communications.
Our offering to members is being completely revamped, from the realigning of the Members Board objectives which Chair Bruce Pritchard describes in this magazine, through to the launching of the new ICAS website and an associated ICAS App (sitting on the Tapestry platform); the arrival of CA Connect – an ability for members to connect with one another, to engage virtually on subjects of their interest with other like-minded members; through to generally providing more relevant and easily accessible information to support members in their daily professional lives.
Finally, in the education area, an immense amount of work by the Qualifications Board is revitalising and changing more than 25% of the CA syllabus, with new subjects relevant to the work environment today – all without lowering in any way the high standards that represent the CA qualification. More is to come in this area.
This is the context and I hope you will see that ICAS is changing. We are constantly striving to meet the challenges our members are facing and we will continue to evolve. Our high standards remain constant, but our ambition will continue to move forward.
The CA magazine: November 2019