The Promise of King Charles III
Written By: Michael Kraten, PhD, CPA - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkraten/
As the British people turn from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III, many are already questioning the new British head of state's ability to rally public support for international initiatives and institutions. Some express worry for the future of the British Commonwealth, while others speculate that the United Kingdom itself may fall apart into separate English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish components.
One reason for optimism, though, may be found in the new monarch's staunch pro-sustainability record. A visit to the current home page of the London based organization Accounting for Sustainability, for instance, presents King Charles in one of the three rotating photos at the top of the screen.
However, no other image on the home page presents him and no text mentions him. His limited presence is startling, given his service to the organization.
The King, in fact, established Accounting for Sustainability in 2004 "to transform finance to make sustainable business, business as usual." The entity provided him with a platform to support the development of integrated reporting initiatives and the sustainable finance sector.
Earlier in his career, in the early 1990s, Prince Charles "started one of the first organic and locally sourced food companies in the world." And he has implemented the principles of the New Urbanism school of city planning and social design by spearheading the construction of experimental communities and other residential and business construction projects.
Of course, all new heads of state -- and leaders of all organizations, for that matter -- quickly learn that they may need to temper their words and actions to conform to the constraints of governance. Nevertheless, given King Charles' long and passionate devotion to the causes of sustainability, the supporters of the movement -- including those focused on accounting, public reporting, and sustainable finance -- should feel hopeful about his ascension.
