ESG Reporting & Assurance

During a festive gathering, the Province of Utrecht officially announced which fifteen projects will receive funding from the Fonds Erfgoedparels (Heritage Gems Fund). One of the selected projects is the restoration of the quay walls of Nijenrode Castle in Breukelen.

Do pension funds have to choose between financial returns and societal impact? According to Professor Stefan Thewissen, this is a false dilemma. In his inaugural lecture on 22 May, he argues that the two do not have to be mutually exclusive. He calls on the sector to invest in societal impact, returns, and the quality of decision-making in a legitimate and professional way.

AI is fundamentally reshaping work, putting employees at risk of losing their sense of ownership, motivation, and professional identity. Dieter Vlaminck emphasizes that organizations should use AI to empower people rather than replace them, so that professionals remain the authors of their own work.

AI isn't just the next efficiency upgrade for accounting. It's a fundamental reshaping of the profession. Prof. Niels van Nieuw Amerongen and Arno Schalck (PIA Group) see five major shifts.