ICAS Member Survey: Responding to your priorities

The September 2025 member survey provided us with valuable insights into your key priorities as members of ICAS. This feedback directly informs our organisation-wide strategy, helps us understand the issues that matter most to you, and shapes both our strategic planning and performance measurement. Your input is vital: It allows us to enhance our services and enrich your membership experience.

How ICAS is acting on your feedback 

Website as an essential source of information 

You told us that the website is a crucial resource for information. In response, we launched the new ICAS website on February 4, 2025, as part of a 2030 strategic initiative. This launch followed 18 months of dedicated work, with the site designed and built in-house based on direct member and student feedback gathered through surveys and user testing. The new website prioritises user experience, offering improved navigation and search capabilities.

We have also introduced new hubs, such as the AI and Technology Hub—providing guidance and technical resources. 

Enhancing access to technical resources 

You emphasised the importance of technical resources. To address this, we transitioned our ICAS Technical Helpdesk platform to Zendesk, improving oversight and monitoring of technical queries. This integration with the wider CX Channels helpdesk streamlines support and enhances efficiency. Additionally, our technical resources have been updated and improved as part of the new website rollout. 

Leadership on ethical issues 

Members highlighted the significance of ICAS’s leadership in ethical matters. In today’s rapidly changing business environment, finance professionals must balance technical skills with moral judgment.

ICAS responded to the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) consultation regarding collective investment vehicles and, alongside ICAEW, contributed to the revision of UK Professional Conduct in Relation to Taxation to ensure alignment with new tax planning requirements in the IESBA Code.

We updated our "The Power of One" papers, underscoring the importance of personal responsibility, moral courage, and ethical leadership. Ethical insights from senior ICAS members were published, featured in CA Weekly over several months, with the full report released on World Ethics Day (October 15).

The Ethical Leadership Forum held on June 3 addressed the need for ethical culture, using the Post Office scandal as a case study, and discussed ethics challenges posed by Gen AI tools.

ICAS also played a key role in the GAA letter to IESBA, advocating for principle-based and proportionate standard-setting and post-implementation review of non-compliance provisions.  

CA Magazine: Keeping members informed 

You indicated that you regularly read CA magazine. Published ten times a year and distributed to over 24,000 members and students worldwide, CA magazine delivers high-quality thought leadership, business insights, and coverage of global issues affecting your profession—including sustainability, financial crime, equality, inclusion and diversity, AI and technology, and social mobility. Both current and past editions are available on our website.

To ensure you receive your copy, please keep your member profile up to date or visit our website for access to the latest and previous issues. 

Pride in the CA qualification 

Members expressed pride in their CA qualification. This year, ICAS participated in the biennial Edelman Trust Survey, which revealed that 87% of senior business and finance decision-makers in Scotland trust Chartered Accountants "to do the right thing"—a figure higher than scientists, engineers, doctors, academics, and lawyers. Trust in ICAS has also increased, rising ten points since 2023 to 84% in 2025. These results reflect the positive impact of ICAS’s work in building trust and reinforce the prestige of the CA designation, which is exclusive to those qualified with ICAS in the UK and Europe.

Our updated CA qualification is future-ready, integrating advances in technology, data, and sustainability, alongside ethical leadership. The qualification is designed to equip members with both technical expertise and essential non-technical skills such as complex problem-solving, professional scepticism, communication, and agile thinking. Innovative assessment methods and the integration of cloud-based accounting software and Microsoft Power BI application ensure learning is practical and visual.