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The thought paper sets out a vision for integrated thinking and explores what professional accountants working in the public and private sectors can do in practical terms to facilitate it in their organization, regardless of whether their organization is planning to publish an integrated report. It identifies five key elements, which, if implemented, can lead to more effective organizations. This ultimately provides the basis for shifting from today’s financially oriented reporting to integrated reporting.
“Integrated reporting continues to gain global momentum and help change the way businesses think about creating value over time. But it is integrated thinking that will ultimately change corporate behavior and lead to more resilient organizations and greater trust in business and government,” said IFAC CEO Fayez Choudhury. ”Professional accountants—as business partners involved in organizational leadership and decision support—can use integrated thinking as a means of engaging those beyond the finance and accounting departments to facilitate resilient organizations that create value over the short, medium, and long term.”
The thought paper reflects integrated thinking as we understand it today, given that this is a period of experimentation for many organizations. It explores what integrated thinking involves, as well as its challenges and how they can be overcome, and advances a meaningful understanding of its role and power. Notably, the publication also discusses how integrated reporting both improves and is improved by integrated thinking.