Professional accountants in business (PAIB) work within organizations—in commerce, industry, financial services, education, and the public and not-for-profit sectors—as leaders and strategic partners in building long-term sustainable organizational success. They play a variety of important roles, including as creators, enablers, preservers, and reporters of sustainable value for their organizations. PAIBs play critical roles in generating sustainable economic growth and stability worldwide by contributing to strategy support, planning, decision support and control, adding value to organizations and to the information they issue.

Within these roles, professional accountants are increasingly expected to perform as integrators, bringing together environmental, social, and economic performance and various business functions and processes; and as navigators, supporting the needs of governing bodies and management. Their work provides the foundation for credible and reliable financial and non-financial information, which is vital to building investor confidence.

IFAC strives to promote and contribute to the value of professional accountants in business by increasing awareness of the important roles professional accountants play, supporting member bodies in enhancing the competence of their members, and facilitating the communication and sharing of good practices and ideas.

IFAC and the PAIB Committee publishes reports, surveys, guidance, and consultation and discussion papers as well as highlight the work of members in key strategic focus areas:

• Roles, domain, and competences of PAIBs;
• Governance and ethics;
• Sustainability and corporate responsibility;
• Risk management and control;
• Financial and performance management; and 
• Business reporting.

For more information on these topics, visit the PAIB Activities and Interest Areas page.