For years, employers seeking finance and accounting talent have focused their employer brand on career development, professional growth, varied and challenging work, and competitive remuneration.
Yet the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants’ (ACCA) ‘Global Talent Trends 2026’ report - the world’s largest annual talent and future of work survey of accountancy and finance professionals - points to different priorities. Three quarters say an organisation's reputation on social and human rights issues influences their decision about where to work.
That finding is particularly interesting given how ESG is typically discussed in the sector. Conversations have previously focused on environmental commitments, with net-zero targets, sustainability reporting, and carbon reduction initiatives taking centre stage. ACCA's research found that respondents were more likely to identify social issues (53%) as their most important ESG consideration than governance (25%) or environmental factors (19%).
This doesn’t come as a shock, as the findings reflect what we're hearing across the accountancy and finance market. Salary, career progression, and flexibility remain important and always will, but employees are also paying closer attention to how organisations treat their people, support their communities, and put their values into practice.
What finance professionals are really looking for
At first glance, it may seem surprising that social issues rank higher than environmental concerns among accountancy and finance professionals. However, social factors are often the most visible and immediate part of an organisation's ESG commitments.
Employees may not see the impact of their company’s carbon reduction strategy in their day-to-day working lives, but they do experience an organisation's culture every second they’re working. They see how leaders communicate, how workloads are managed, whether development opportunities are available, and how colleagues are treated.
This is particularly relevant in a profession that can be demanding at peak periods. Long hours and tight deadlines have always been a reality for many accountants, so those searching for new opportunities are increasingly looking beyond an elevated job title and competitive salary. Instead, they want to understand what working for that organisation will ‘feel’ like.
It's not necessarily that professionals are choosing purpose over pay. Rather, they're using social factors as a way of assessing whether an employer's values are reflected in the employee experience. For many, that provides a more meaningful picture of an organisation than any statement on a careers page.
The profession's strongest selling point is often overlooked
Many employers already contribute significantly to local economies, create opportunities for apprentices and graduates, and invest time in community initiatives. Some are also playing a direct role in improving social mobility through outreach programmes, mentoring, and partnerships with schools, colleges, and universities.
Yet these stories can become overshadowed or sidelined by more traditional finance recruitment messages that focus solely on qualifications, career pathways, and technical expertise.
But as the research shows, many people looking for work find these wider contributions just as compelling. At a time when businesses are working hard to attract the next generation of accountants, articulating this broader purpose can be a powerful differentiator.
Closing the ‘say-do’ gap
Perhaps the most important lesson from the research is that authenticity matters.
Most people are realistic. They do not expect organisations to be perfect, nor do they expect every employer to have all the answers to complex social challenges.
But what they do expect is consistency. A company’s ESG commitments inevitably carry more weight when employees can see evidence of them in practice. Wellbeing initiatives need to feel meaningful rather than symbolic. Inclusion strategies need to be reflected in progression opportunities. Community engagement needs to extend beyond annual reports and marketing campaigns.
Today, professionals have more ways than ever to assess whether this alignment exists. They talk to current employees, read reviews, and draw conclusions from what they see and hear throughout the recruitment process. That means an employer’s approach to social impact, its people, and culture is increasingly judged by experience rather than messaging.
A competitive advantage that's difficult to replicate
The accountancy profession continues to face skills shortages in a number of areas, while organisations are simultaneously trying to strengthen retention and build future talent pipelines.
Against that backdrop, social impact has the potential to become a significant competitive advantage.
Unlike salary, which can be matched, or benefits, which can quickly become standard across the market, the way an organisation treats its people and contributes to the communities around it can become a genuine point of difference.
For many finance professionals, social impact isn't about grand statements or ambitious pledges. It's reflected in the everyday experience of working for an organisation: how people are treated, how opportunities are created, and how leaders behave when no one is watching.
Looking to hire accountancy and finance talent for your organisation? Or seeking a new opportunity yourself? Get in touch with us today.
