TY  - CHAP
AB  - Purpose This study explores how Canadian CPAs (Chartered Professional Accountants) are trained in sustainability. The main research questions are: What place should sustainability take in the accounting program? What place does sustainability occupy in the CPA accounting program? And, over time, has sustainability gained or lost ground within the Canadian professional accounting education program?Methodology/approach Content analysis and interviews.Findings We find that sustainability is not a key component of the CPA education program since its sustainability content has shrunk over the years. We believe that the groupthink phenomenon may have influenced the selection of CPA Competency Map participants (whose backgrounds reveal a lack of sustainability expertise) as well as the participants’ discussions. Additionally, a lack of consideration for society as a key stakeholder may have also influenced the shortage of sustainability content. Finally, power dynamics might have contributed to the financial accounting and reporting competencies dominating the new map.Research limitations We did not have access to the live meetings when the Map was created, although we conducted interviews with representatives involved in the process. This research is bound by a confidentiality agreement that limits us from providing sensitive details. However, we do not consider that these limitations undermine our contribution or reduce the relevance of our research.Originality/value Our research contributes to the under-researched domain of sustainability education and to understanding how groupthink, stakeholder theory and power dynamics may have contributed to the dearth of sustainability coverage in the new Canadian CPA program.
VL  - 7
SN  - 978-1-78754-889-3, 978-1-78754-888-6/1479-3598
DO  - 10.1108/S1479-359820180000007004
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-359820180000007004
AU  - Boulianne Emilio
AU  - Keddie S. Leanne
PY  - 2018
Y1  - 2018/01/01
TI  - Where Is Sustainability within the Canadian CPA Education Program?
T2  - Sustainability Accounting
T3  - Advances in Environmental Accounting & Management
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 71
EP  - 112
Y2  - 2024/04/24
ER  -