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This module reflects the increasing importance of environmental and social issues, to companies, non-corporate entities and the accountancy profession, and the increasingly recognised need for corporate accountability to a broad range of legitimate stakeholders. The module will address both how accountability to external stakeholders can be discharged and how companies can adapt mainstream accounting and performance measurement techniques in order to manage more effectively their own performance.

Indicative content includes both external accountability and internal management perspectives. The former will include a study of corporate environmental performance reports and sustainability reports which have been published by a number of leading companies, and of guidelines which have been produced by a number of respected sources to guide companies in preparing these. The latter will focus on the use of environmental management accounting approaches and techniques which have been developed and applied by companies and researchers internationally. The module will also include an examination of the use of non-financial performance measures by companies to measure their environmental and social performance for both external and internal purposes, including issues of reliability and feasibility as well as relevance, in the context of the Accounting Standards Board's Statement of Principles.

i. Knowledge and Understanding
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
a) critically evaluate the information reported by companies and other entities in published environmental and sustainability reports, and in other similar channels of communication with external stakeholders, in the context of the differing interests of different stakeholder groups
b) critically evaluate the effectiveness of formal verification processes by independent verifiers (auditors) in enhancing the credibility of environmental and sustainability reports published by companies and other entities
c) explain how environmental management accounting may be used by a company or other entity in order to support its management of its environmental and business performance
d) apply relevant environmental management accounting techniques in order to address issues with which companies and other entities may have to deal in the course of their environmental management, and explain and justify the results generated
e) explain how non-financial performance measures may be used by a company or other entity in order to support its managers in managing its environmental and business performance
f) design appropriate performance indicators which might be used to reflect the environmental and social performance of a company or other entity and explain how these might be implemented for various purposes in differing contexts, making recommendations supported by appropriate evidence
g) appraise and critically evaluate the implications of companies' environmental performance for external financial stakeholders such as equity investors and banks

ii. Skills
By the end of the module students should have developed skills in:
Application of numerical techniques in the application of environmental management accounting (in particular)
Analysing and problem-solving: evaluation of the quality of information reported by companies
Communication and literacy: written communication will be assessed through the assignment
Independent learning and working: individual written assignments
Specific vocational skills: students will be involved in the application of mainstream accounting and financial techniques in the specific context of environmental management

Class contact comprising lectures, seminars and workshops, approximately 20%
Private directed study, approximately 80%

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.