ICAEW ACA Sustainability and Ethics study plan

Map the full sustainability and climate change syllabus into a one-page concept map linking climate science, reporting frameworks, assurance, and finance.

Explain the greenhouse effect, carbon budgets, and the difference between Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions in your own words without notes.

Define net zero, carbon neutrality, and science-based targets, and distinguish offsetting from abatement.

Identify which IFRS S1/S2, TCFD, and GHG Protocol concepts recur most in exam-style scenarios and log them as a watchlist.

Work through the structure of sustainability reporting standards (ISSB IFRS S1 and S2, TCFD pillars) and state what each requires.

Apply the four TCFD pillars (governance, strategy, risk management, metrics and targets) to a fictional listed company.

Classify climate risks as physical versus transition, and acute versus chronic, using ten worked examples.

Draft disclosure wording for materiality assessment and scenario analysis at a level an exam marker would credit.

Explain the roles of ISAE 3410 and ISSA 5000 in sustainability assurance and how limited and reasonable assurance differ.

Describe the assurance provider's considerations for GHG statements, including data quality, estimation uncertainty, and internal controls.

Distinguish the preparer's responsibilities from the assurance practitioner's responsibilities in a sustainability engagement.

Summarise how sustainability connects to financial statements: impairment, provisions, going concern, and climate-related risk disclosure.

Consolidate domain 1 by answering 30 mixed-format practice questions under timed conditions.

Review every wrong answer and write a one-line rule for each error type.

Introduce the ICAEW Code of Ethics structure: fundamental principles, threats, and safeguards.

Explain how the five threats (self-interest, self-review, advocacy, familiarity, intimidation) apply to sustainability assurance and non-assurance services.

State the five fundamental principles of the ICAEW Code and give a concrete breach example for each.

Apply the conceptual framework: identify threat, evaluate significance, apply safeguards, and document the conclusion.

Analyse independence issues in assurance, including fees, long association, and provision of non-assurance services.

Explain the role of the FRC Ethical Standard and how it interacts with the ICAEW Code.

Distinguish the roles of the FRC, PIE auditor requirements, and the audit committee in safeguarding ethics.

Explain how professional scepticism, objectivity, and integrity differ and where each is tested.

Analyse confidentiality and whistleblowing duties, including when disclosure is permitted or required.

Evaluate conflicts of interest in a multi-service firm and propose documented safeguards.

Practise 40 mixed-domain questions weighted 50/50 and record timing per question.

Revisit the top five weakest topics from weeks 1 to 6 and rewrite the underlying rules from memory.

Explain how ethical duties (integrity, objectivity) shape greenwashing risk and sustainability reporting decisions.

Draft a structured exam answer plan for a combined ethics-and-climate scenario.

Complete two full timed mocks under exam conditions and mark them strictly.

Consolidate all error logs into a single one-page final revision sheet.

Rehearse the identify-evaluate-safeguard-conclude template and the TCFD disclosure checklist until fluent.

Confirm exam-day logistics and question-time allocation strategy.