Accountants and the public interest

A report by an industry body finds a sharp decline in public trust of accountants and esteem in which they are held.  Given the number and scale of financial scandals in the last decade, that's perhaps not surprising.  Our main contribution should be in holding people to account and in promoting efficiency - both very much in the public interest.  In any business, you should see the accountant, or person responsible for the finances, doing the following:

• actively reducing costs;
• managing cash flow;
• keeping the business legal and ethical;  
• supporting and challenging the management team,

all on his or her own initiative, and amongst many other things.  These are all responsibilities that members of the Prospero team are accustomed to handling as a way of life.