Islamabad/Karachi, October 22, 2026: The use of artificial intelligence has become the most pressing ethical issue for the accountancy profession, according to a new survey by ACCA, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Issued in line with Global Ethics Day, observed on October 21, ACCA’s latest report, Navigating ethics for trust, shows that 61 per cent of respondents identified the use of AI as their leading ethical challenge. This marks a sharp rise from 32 per cent recorded in ACCA’s 2024 survey.
The 2026 survey is based on 1,178 responses from finance and accountancy professionals across 135 countries. Roundtable discussions were also held to add qualitative depth to the findings.
According to the report, ethical leadership, cited by 43 per cent of respondents, and ethical culture, cited by 39 per cent, also remain among the top three ethical challenges facing the profession.
The findings indicate that while the accountancy profession remains firmly rooted in its fundamental principles, professionals are operating in an environment that is becoming more pressured, complex and difficult to manage in practice. Half of the respondents said ethical challenges had become harder to resolve over the past three years, while 53 per cent reported having witnessed unethical behaviour during the same period.
Sarah Lane, Head of Ethics and Assurance at ACCA, said the overall picture was of a profession that remains ethically grounded, self-aware and ready to adapt.
“Finance professionals are not asking for more rules, the fundamental principles remain the ethical anchor. They are asking for the tools, support and guidance needed to apply the fundamental principles in an increasingly complex world,” she said.
Assad Hameed Khan, Head of ACCA in Pakistan, said that as AI becomes more deeply embedded in business and finance, its use must be guided by the same principles that support trust in the accountancy profession.
These principles, he said, include integrity, objectivity, professional competence, confidentiality and professional behaviour.
“For Pakistan’s finance professionals, this means applying sound judgement, questioning AI-generated outputs and ensuring that accountability remains clear. Strong ethical leadership, supportive organisational cultures and continuous learning will be essential to using technology responsibly while maintaining public confidence,” he said.
The report also includes a toolkit offering a practical 10-step process for applying the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, or IEBSA Code, in real situations.
Other key findings show that 89 per cent of respondents agree that ethical capability in the profession remains strong, but depends on continuous professional development. Trust in the profession, according to the survey, is based on strong ethical standards, cited by 46 per cent, transparency, cited by 38 per cent, and independence, cited by 36 per cent.
The report further notes that enabling ethical behaviour in practice is a shared responsibility, with ethical culture and leadership serving as core conditions for ethical action. Ethical leadership and ethical culture remained among the leading ethical challenges in both 2024 and 2026.
Sarah Lane added that ethics had always been central to the ACCA Qualification. She said ACCA would further strengthen this focus when it introduces its redesigned qualification next year, with ethics integrated throughout to help future generations deal with emerging challenges.
The report and toolkit are available at: https://www.accaglobal.com/policy-and-insights/reports/2026/navigating-ethics-for-trust.html
