Accountants must be the trusted advisers clients need on ESG

Part three of a mini-series on sustainability. The climate crisis is shifting the business landscape and client expectations. Here’s why it matters for accountants.

Extreme weather events such as heatwaves and floods are now a regular part of business life. The effects of climate change are disrupting supply chains, increasing costs and reshaping how UK businesses operate.

Shifting client expectations

As the business landscape evolves, so do client expectations. More business owners are turning to their accountants for guidance that goes beyond traditional accounting services. They need support in understanding new regulations, supply chain pressures, Net Zero targets and ethical decision-making.

Nearly half of UK companies (48%) name their accountant as their most trusted business adviser, including on sustainability reporting matters, according to ICAEW’s research published in 2025.

This is clear evidence that sustainability is becoming part of the profession’s core role. If your clients haven’t asked you about it yet, they will soon. Accountants who can’t respond risk losing clients to firms that adapt first.

What sustainable business really means

A sustainable business operates responsibly and transparently, considering its impact on employees, customers, communities and the environment.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a key measure of credibility. 76% of companies agree that CSR significantly reduces risks to their brand reputation, according to research published by ZipDo in 2025.

Businesses that take CSR seriously build stronger reputations, customer loyalty, and employee retention. In fact, 9 out of our 11 employees at The Green Accountants have joined us because of our ESG values, saving us a significant amount of money on recruitment costs.

It’s evident that going above and beyond legal obligations and incorporating CSR into your organisation is not only ethical, but also beneficial to commercial success.

Why this matters for accountants

At The Green Accountants, we’ve seen first-hand how sustainability can transform an accounting firm. We realised early on that many clients were beginning to lose out on contracts because they didn’t have a Carbon Reduction Plan in place. We stepped in to help them create one, ensuring they stayed compliant, competitive and ready for tender opportunities.

For us, this approach opened new revenue streams, helped us attract the right kind of clients and reduced our own costs. Most importantly, it gave our work a sense of purpose. We were no longer just helping clients manage their finances; we were helping them build stronger, more sustainable businesses that win contracts rather than losing them due to a lack of Carbon Reduction strategies.

Learn more

The Green Accountants, who wrote this article, will be delivering an ESG reporting masterclass for AAT on 15 January 2026. This practical course shows accountants how to collect, analyse and report on ESG data with rigour.

They also recently ran an exclusive webinar for AAT members. To learn more, members can log into the AAT Learning Portal and look for Sustainability – CPD Bitesize for practical learning outcomes on the evolving role of finance professionals.

Read part one and part two of this mini-series.

Olivia Fisher is a Multi-Channel Marketer at Sustainability Suite and The Green Accountants. She drives digital strategy, builds brand presence, and supports SMEs through Carbon Literacy certification. Accredited in Carbon Literacy, Olivia fuses photography with marketing to deliver compelling environmental communication strategies..