Meet the Murdoch academic who educates future finance professionals about accounting’s role in sustainability, corporate governance, and tax avoidance.
While accounting and sustainability might seem like an unlikely or even unrelated pair, at Murdoch, we believe that the future of sustainability requires a well-rounded, multi-faceted approach. With major environmental events playing out across the globe with increasing regularity, there has never been a more important time to focus on living in harmony with our planet.
So it is encouraging to know there are legions of inspiring individuals and organisations working toward a more sustainable world. This is happening in all sorts of industries: higher education, science, agriculture, engineering – even accounting.
Meet Dr Augustine Donkor: Chartered Accountant, published researcher, and Murdoch University researcher and lecturer, teaching accounting and finance for the Murdoch Business School.
“We cannot grow at the detriment of people, community, and the environment.”
Prior to joining Murdoch University, Dr Donkor was a lecturer at the University of Ghana, taught accounting and finance at other Australian universities, and recently had the opportunity to help a local business college achieve professional registration.
“I redesigned the accounting major by developing new units and remodelling existing units to CPA and CAANZ accreditation standards. Although I left before the full commencement of the accreditation process, the accounting major redesign was complete.
“Previously, I supported my community by volunteering my services as a project accountant for Organisation of Africa Communities (OAC) and as treasurer for Ghana Association of Western Australia (GHAWA),” he said.
It’s this sense of integrity and community spirit which he encourages in his students, and matches well with our Murdoch ethos. We’re the University of choice for people who care, who value inclusion, curiosity and innovation, and want to make a positive social impact.
We have a sustainability mindset for everything that we do, not just in the fields of environmental science and conservation. For Dr Donkor, he spends time pondering finance issues that affect wider society and the world, such as how diversity on corporate boards might advance sustainability performance, and how reporting frameworks in accounting could reduce corporate tax avoidance.
“In our quest to grow or to expand, everything and everyone matters. We cannot grow at the detriment of people, community, and the environment.”
“I believe the awareness of these will inform policymakers and practitioners to better advance issues in sustainability,” he said.
“Promoting the issue of sustainability through the evaluation of corporate governance factors and corporate sustainability performance.”
The rapidly growing subcategory of sustainability accounting is responsible for measuring, analysing and reporting the environmental and social impacts of a business. In essence, it’s about being an ethical entity, and the ability to accurately demonstrate that. It’s especially topical right now with the Australian Government looking at mandatory reporting requirements in the near future.
Providing education in this area means job-ready graduates can assist employers with the new regulations. They’ll be a highly valuable asset, providing financial advice crucial to decision-making, in identifying future eco-conscious opportunities, and knowing when to take action.
For the past 50 years Murdoch University has championed sustainability through teaching, learning and research, and we will continue to lead by example. We:
- Were the first university in Western Australia to sign up to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
- Won two major architectural awards for our flagship academic building, Boola Katitjin, including the 2023 National Award for Sustainable Architecture.
- Reduced our energy consumption by 26 per cent in the last four years, investing in solar power and energy-saving technology, and
- Are expanding the Harry Butler Institute research space where community, business and biodiversity can co-exist.
This only scratches the surface of what we’ve got planned. Read more about sustainability at Murdoch, one of the key values in our official university strategy. This is a journey which welcomes all those who want to build a brighter future together – from scientists to accountants.
