On November 10–11, the Accountability Research Cluster (ARC) at Kemmy Business School hosted the 5th Centre for Social and Environmental Accounting Research (CSEAR) Ireland Conference, themed “Review and Renew: Reflections and Renewed Commitment to Sustainability.”
The conference opened with an excellent plenary session led by Prof. Jan Bebbington, Rubin Chair in Sustainability in Business and Director of the Pentland Centre, University of Lancaster. Prof. Bebbington’s insights set the tone for two days of rich discussion on sustainability and accountability.
The plenary was followed by an engaging dialogue with Ambassador David Donoghue, who co‑facilitated the intergovernmental negotiations on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. The conversation, skillfully moderated by Emeritus Professor Sheila Killian, provided participants with valuable insights into the global policy landscape.
Across the two days, delegates engaged in three paper sessions featuring contributions from academics based in Ireland, the UK, Canada, the USA, and Italy. On Tuesday morning, two PhD paper sessions showcased emerging research, chaired by Prof. John Ferguson, Co-Director of CSEAR, with discussants from the CSEAR Ireland Steering Committee.
The Irish Auditing & Accounting Supervisory Authority (IAASA) generously sponsored two awards for best PhD paper presentations. The recipients were Ellen Jordan (KBS) and Andra-Larisa Suciu (Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania). The awards were presented by Prof. Ferguson and Eileen Townsend, Head of Organisational Development at IAASA.
We extend our gratitude to the CSEAR Ireland Co-Chairs, Dr. Ruth Lynch and Dr. Orla McCullagh, and the Steering Committee members: Philip O’Regan, Sheila Killian, Laura Mazzola, Judith Wylie, Rebecca Maughan, Ellen Jordan, Mary Curtin PhD, Tracey Mullin-Ryan MSc CIP, Erin King, and Finn Lannon. Their commitment ensured the success of this year’s conference.
The event reaffirmed the importance of critical accounting research in advancing sustainability and accountability, and we look forward to continuing this dialogue in future CSEAR gatherings.
