ACCA marks 25 years in Vietnam

On September 14, ACCA held a ceremony to mark its 25^th anniversary in Vietnam, bringing together representatives from regulatory authorities, professional bodies, businesses, partners, experts, and the ACCA community to reflect on its journey of supporting the development and integration of Vietnam’s accounting, auditing and finance professions, as well as the business community.

At the event, ACCA reaffirmed its commitment to contributing to Vietnam’s development, expressing appreciation to its partners, members and students, while also setting out new directions for collaboration in response to rapid changes in technology, ESG and sustainability requirements.

Speaking at the event, Helen Brand, ACCA’s chief executive, expressed her appreciation to the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV), the Ministry of Finance, strategic partners, and the ACCA community in Vietnam.

“We want to continue working alongside all of you to build a sustainable and prosperous economy that benefits all people in Vietnam. ACCA is ready to play an active role in supporting economic growth, developing a highly skilled workforce, and helping realise Vietnam’s ambition of becoming a competitive international financial centre,” said Brand.

Helen Brand, ACCA’s chief executive. Photo: ACCA Vietnam

Ha Thi My Dung, deputy state auditor general of SAV, delivered remarks congratulating ACCA Vietnam on its 25^th anniversary and stated that the SAV has always regarded ACCA as one of its important partners.

“I am confident that ACCA will continue to build on its role, reputation and international experience and make an even greater contribution to the development of Vietnam’s professional community,” Dung said. “From the SAV’s side, we look forward to continuing our close cooperation with ACCA, strengthening the sharing of international experience and knowledge; enhancing cooperation in training and human resource development; exchanging views on innovation in audit methodologies and the application of technology and AI; and encouraging professional activities aligned with new requirements for public financial management and sustainable development.”

25 years

ACCA’s story in Vietnam began in 2001 with just 11 members. Today, ACCA has more than 1,300 members across the country and more than 7,000 students on their journey towards becoming ACCA members.

Behind these figures is a dynamic and growing community present across every sector of the economy, taking on critical roles ranging from accounting, auditing and finance to governance, strategy and sustainability.

This growth has been driven by extensive cooperation between ACCA and regulatory authorities, professional bodies, businesses, and educational institutions in Vietnam and around the world. At the same time, ACCA has promoted a range of initiatives to strengthen professional capabilities and expand opportunities for Vietnam’s finance professionals to access global standards and the international finance community.

Beyond professional development, ACCA has also established itself as a pioneering organisation in Vietnam, making significant contributions to policy dialogue and discussions on governance, strategy, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), sustainability reporting and issues directly affecting business operations.

Through its network of experts and corporate partners across 179 countries, ACCA promotes the sharing of international knowledge and best practices, helping organisations strengthen their financial and governance capabilities while preparing finance professionals for the evolving demands of business.

In particular, as the finance function increasingly shifts from a focus on reporting and control towards strategic planning and value creation, ACCA continues to equip professionals with the capabilities to take on roles extending beyond traditional finance, including risk management and strategy, as well as ESG, sustainability and transformation.

ACCA’s 25-year journey in Vietnam has unfolded alongside the professionalisation, integration and transformation of the economy. Building on this foundation, ACCA said that they would continue working to connect Vietnam with the global professional community, boost international standards, and support the development of a finance workforce capable of creating value for the economy and global markets.

ACCA Vietnam: 25 Years of Impact, Shaping the Future. Photo: ACCA Vietnam

Amid shared challenges such as climate change, the emergence of new technologies such as AI, and growing demands for transparency, the role of the accounting, auditing and finance community continues to expand significantly. For ACCA, these shifts require professionals not only to keep their technical knowledge up to date, but also to strengthen their adaptability, strategic thinking and ability to create value.

“This remains a key focus of ACCA’s direction in Vietnam in the next phase: continuing to connect Vietnam’s professional community with global standards, knowledge and opportunities,” said Brand.

“Perhaps the world has never needed the capabilities and qualities of professional accountants more than it does today,” she added. “However, we believe that professional accountants equipped with the right knowledge, skills and qualities can help organisations and countries overcome these challenges.”

The 25th anniversary, therefore, is not only an occasion for the ACCA community to celebrate what has been built over the past quarter-century. It also provides a foundation for ACCA to continue working alongside Vietnam in building a dynamic, sustainable and prosperous economy.

At the event, ACCA was honoured to receive Certificates of Merit and Letters of Commendation for its collective and individual contributions from the State Audit Office of Vietnam on July 9. The recognition reflects ACCA’s contributions throughout its cooperation with the State Audit Office of Vietnam and marks a meaningful milestone in the cooperative and friendly relationship between the two organisations.

ACCA and VACPA deepen partnership to support Vietnam's green finance transition The renewal of the MoU between ACCA Vietnam and the VACPA marks not only a new chapter in their long-standing partnership, but also a shared commitment to build a transparent, sustainable financial ecosystem and address the growing risk of greenwashing.

Building trust is vital for green finance transition Vietnam has taken an important policy step with its Green Taxonomy, but stronger professional judgement will be required across the financial ecosystem. Talking to VIR’s Hazy Tran, To Quoc Hung, country manager of ACCA Vietnam, said that Vietnamese businesses need to move beyond a compliance-driven approach by building a reliable data foundation.