Moroccan Chartered Accountants and ESG Reporting: Towards a Strategic Repositioning in a Context of Regulatory Transition

Abstract

The gradual generalization of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting, particularly through AMMC Circular No. 03/19, is engaging Moroccan companies, especially listed firms, in a dynamic process of transparency and sustainability. This regulatory development raises major challenges for accounting professions, notably chartered accountants, who are increasingly called upon to play a key role in supporting organizations in achieving compliance and structuring non-financial information. Based on a qualitative study conducted with fifteen Moroccan chartered accountants, relying on semi-structured interviews analysed through an inductive thematic analysis, this research examines perceptions, emerging practices, and the difficulties encountered in integrating ESG requirements into traditional audit and advisory missions. The findings reveal a growing awareness of the strategic importance of ESG criteria, alongside a lack of adequate training, appropriate tools, and formalized demand beyond listed companies. Nevertheless, some professionals are developing frugal innovation approaches to address these emerging needs, notably through the creation of simplified analytical frameworks, targeted client training, or the gradual adaptation of financial statements to ESG-related issues. The study highlights a reconfiguration of the chartered accountant’s role, from a guarantor of financial compliance to a partner in sustainable transformation, particularly within Moroccan entrepreneurial ecosystems undergoing transition.

Classification JEL : M41

Paper type : Empirical Research