Masters' vision of 2000 action

English ICA members are being urged to put more back into the community, under an initiative to be launched later this year.

Titled ‘Everybody Counts’, the institute’s millennium initiative is the brainchild of vice-president Dame Sheila Masters. The KPMG senior partner will become the ICA’s first woman president in June and wants the project to underline the importance of accountants to society at large.

Timed to coincide with national Numeracy Year, which begins next January, ‘Everybody Counts’ will see accountants going into schools to help children with number skills among a range of activities intended to benefit local communities.

The institute is linking up with the organisation Business in the Community to promote the project. Firms and business employers will be urged to give accountants time to undertake community activities.

Although many English ICA members already undertake community work, Dame Sheila wants to involve more of the membership in good causes. She also hopes that the project will outlive the millennium and lead to increased community activity by accountants.