An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy. Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certified Accountant or Certified Public Accountant, or Registered Public Accountant. Such professionals are granted certain responsibilities by statute, such as the ability to certify an organization's financial statements, and may be held liable for professional misconduct. Non-qualified accountants may be employed by a qualified accountant, or may work independently without statutory privileges and obligations.
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the global professional management accounting body based out of the UK. CIMA offers training and qualification in management accountancy and related subjects. It is focused on accountants working in the industry and provides ongoing support and training for members.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) is the world's first professional body of Chartered Accountants (CAs). It is a regulator, educator, influencer and thought leader.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) is a professional membership organisation that promotes, develops and supports chartered accountants and students around the world. At the end of 2020, it has over 189,000 members and students in 147 countries. The ICAEW was established by royal charter in 1880.
Chartered accountants were the first accountants to form a professional accounting body, initially established in Scotland in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants (1854), the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries (1854) and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants (1867) were each granted a royal charter almost from their inception. The title is an internationally recognised professional designation; the certified public accountant designation is generally equivalent to it. Women were able to become chartered accountants only following the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 after which, in 1920, Mary Harris Smith was recognised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and became the first woman chartered accountant in the world.
Founded in 1904, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants(ACCA) is the global professional accounting body offering the Chartered Certified Accountant qualification (ACCA). It has 233,000 members and 536,000 future members worldwide. ACCA's headquarters are in London with principal administrative office in Glasgow. ACCA works through a network of over 110 offices and centres in 51 countries - with 346 Approved Learning Partners (ALP) and more than 7,600 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide employee development.
The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants is the professional accounting body of Hong Kong.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is the largest professional accounting body of India under the ownership of Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India. It was established on 1 July 1949 as a statutory body under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 enacted by the Parliament for promotion, development and regulation of the profession of Chartered Accountancy in India.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia was the professional accounting body representing Chartered Accountants in Australia before it merged with the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants to become Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) is the national professional accountancy body and research institute in Bangladesh. It is the sole organisation in Bangladesh with the right to award the Associate Chartered Accountant designation. It has 2,005 members.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados (ICAB) is a professional accountancy body in Barbados. It is the sole organisation in Barbados with the right to award the Chartered Accountant designation. ICAB is a member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). ICAB is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan is a professional accountancy body in Pakistan. As of 2022, it has over 8,000 members working in and outside Pakistan. The institute was established on July 1, 1961 to regulate the profession of accountancy in Pakistan. It is a statutory autonomous body established under the Chartered Accountants Ordinance, 1961. With the significant growth in the profession, the CA Ordinance and By-Laws were revised in 1983.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka is a professional accountancy body in Sri Lanka. The Institute was established by Act of Parliament, No. 23 of 1959 as the sole organisation in Sri Lanka with the right to awarding the Chartered Accountant designation. The Institute is responsible for setting Accounting and Auditing Standards in Sri Lanka, and is considered the National Body of Accountants' in the country.
The Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) is an institution dedicated to Cost and Management Accounting education and research in Bangladesh. It is managed as an autonomous professional body under the Ministry of Commerce. As well as education, it is also engaged in regulating and promoting the profession of cost and management accountant in Bangladesh.
In Bangladesh, the profession of accountancy was developed during the British colonial period. The basic requirements for financial reporting by all companies in Bangladesh were provided by the Companies Act of 1994. Today, it is represented by two professional bodies, the Institute of Cost & Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB).
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Caribbean (ICAC) is an association of accounting organizations in the Caribbean region that promotes professionalism and standards of best practice in the region.
The Financial Reporting Act 2015 is an act created by the Bangladesh National Assembly. The act was passed on September 6, 2015, in order to follow the accountability and transparency of the financial reporting procedures in the country. On September 9, 2015, the act was officially published by the Government of Bangladesh.
