To mark Global Ethics Day on 21 October, ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) presents its latest survey showing a dramatic increase in the number of professional accountants that rank AI use as the leading ethical challenge – cited by 61% of respondents, up from 32% in ACCA’s 2024 survey.
According to the report, Navigating ethics for trust, both ethical leadership (43%) and ethical culture (39%) remain in respondents’ top three ethical challenges. The 2026 survey draws on 1,178 responses from finance and accountancy professionals across 135 countries, with roundtable discussions adding qualitative depth.
The report shows a profession that remains strongly grounded in the fundamental principles – but working in conditions that are becoming more pressured, complex and difficult to navigate in practice. 50% of respondents agreed that ethical challenges have become more difficult to resolve in the last three years, and 53% report witnessing unethical behaviour in that period.
Sarah Lane, Head of Ethics and Assurance at ACCA said: ‘The overall picture is one of a profession that remains ethically grounded, self-aware, and willing 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.’
The report includes a toolkit that provides a practical 10-step process for applying the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (IEBSA Code) in real situations.
Other key findings from the survey data include:
1. 89% agree ethical capability in the profession remains strong – but it depends on continuous professional development.
2. Trust in the profession is grounded in strong ethical standards (46%), transparency (38%), and independence (36%).
3. Enabling ethical behaviour in practice is a shared responsibility – with ethical culture and leadership acting as core conditions for ethical action. In the survey, ethical leadership and ethical culture remained among the top ethical challenges in both 2024 and 2026.
Kush Ahuja, Head of Eurasia and Middle East at ACCA, commented: ‘As organisations across the Middle East accelerate their adoption of AI, the challenge is not just about embracing new technology but ensuring it is used responsibly. Finance professionals have an important role to play in asking the right questions, challenging decisions and maintaining the trust on which businesses depend.
‘AI may be changing how financial decisions are made but it doesn’t diminish the need for human judgement, accountability and ethical leadership. If anything, it makes these qualities more important. Organisations need to invest as much in developing their people’s ethical and professional capabilities as they do in the technologies themselves.’
