by Nicolas | Sep 9, 2025 | Sin categoría
The University of Burgos hosted the third international teaching activity (TA3) of the Erasmus+ Account4GreenEco Project, held from August 31 to September 4. This educational event brought together 24 students from the academic partners: the University of Burgos (Spain), Leuphana University (Germany), MBS School of Business (France), and the University of Trento (Italy). During the five days, students engaged in an intensive program that combined academic sessions, collaborative activities, cultural exchange, and social events that showcased the historical and cultural heritage of the city of Burgos.
The Account4GreenEco project aims to promote the integration of sustainability-related information into university curricula across the European Higher Education Area. It addresses the urgent need to train professionals capable of leading the green transition of the European economy by incorporating environmental, social, and governance criteria into corporate reporting and organizational decision-making processes. One of the project’s key outcomes is the development of an open online learning platform, designed as a dynamic and interactive educational environment. This tool provides resources and materials on sustainability and was successfully tested by students during the activity in Burgos. The platform aspires to become a reference point for educators and students across Europe, offering updated content and fostering education that is more responsive to global challenges.
During the activity, students participated in training sessions focused on sustainability accounting, exploring how accounting can serve as a mechanism for reporting on the environmental and social impacts of organizations. They also tested the online learning platform currently under development. Topics covered included sustainability reporting, regulatory frameworks, and internal control systems that ensure the reliability of such reports. These sessions were complemented by group dynamics that encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration and critical reflection, as well as social activities that helped strengthen bonds among participants and deepen their connection to the local context.
After this last teaching activity, the project will continue its dissemination efforts with new initiatives targeting the European academic community. In October 2025, the First Sharing and Promotion Activity (SP1) meeting be held in Montpellier (France) with university professors from various countries, and on November 13, the Project’s Second Sharing and Promotion Activity (SP2) will take place in Madrid, where our key results will be presented to discuss the future of sustainability accounting education.
by Nicolas | Jun 16, 2025 | Sin categoría
Nicolás García Torea, coordinator of the Erasmus+ Account4GreenEco project, delivered the keynote lecture at the 8th edition of the Cátedra Nacional de Contabilidad Pública “Edgar Fernando Nieto Sánchez”, held on May 22 at Universidad del Valle (Cali, Colombia) and broadcasted to several Colombian universities.
The lecture, titled “Climate Financial Disclosure,” examined the financial risks and opportunities associated with climate change and its impact on organizations. García Torea explored how global warming and climate fluctuations are reshaping the economic and business landscape, posing challenges for organizations and influencing strategic decision-making. He also emphasized the crucial role of financial and sustainability reporting in assessing and anticipating these risks, enabling organizations to implement measures that enhance resilience and minimize environmental impact. To support this discussion, he provided a detailed review of the key international reporting standards governing sustainability disclosure from a financial perspective.
Beyond the technical aspects, the session highlighted the importance of education in shaping specialists in accounting and sustainability, underscoring the increasing need for academic programs that equip future professionals with the skills to address these challenges. In this regard, he highlighted the role of the European Erasmus+ Account4GreenEco project, which promotes the inclusion of sustainability reporting in business administration and accounting curricula, fostering training that aligns more closely with global environmental and corporate responsibility demands.
The lecture was part of the Cátedra Nacional de Contabilidad Pública “Edgar Fernando Nieto Sánchez”, a program jointly organized by the Contaduría General de la Nación (CGN) and several Colombian universities, including Universidad del Valle, Universidad Libre – Cali, Universidad EAFIT, Universidad de Antioquia, Universidad Central, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. The Cátedra Nacional de Contabilidad Pública aims to establish itself as a platform for collaboration between academia and the CGN, fostering the development of expertise in public accounting, improving financial reporting standards, and enhancing public financial management efficiency through the advancement of a strong public accounting culture.
by Nicolas | Apr 9, 2025 | Sin categoría
On March 21, the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Burgos hosted an insightful seminar titled “Vision of Sustainability Reporting from the Practice of a Listed Company”. The keynote speaker was Nuria Rodríguez Peinado, Director of Environment and Social Responsibility at Naturgy. This event brought together students and lecturers eager to deepen their understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in integrating sustainability into business strategies.
Organized by the Erasmus+ Account4GreenEco Project in collaboration with the Master in Sustainability Reporting and Assurance at the University of Burgos, the seminar explored key practical aspects of sustainability reporting. Rodríguez Peinado emphasized the growing importance of this practice as a vital tool for businesses to communicate their commitment to sustainable development. She discussed how Naturgy, as a publicly traded company, addresses the need for transparency while adhering to international standards parrticularly the European Sustainability Reporting Standards, mandated by the EU.
Rodríguez Peinado noted that the commitment to sustainability not only meets regulatory requirements but also serves as an opportunity to enhance corporate reputation and create added value for shareholders and society. She also touched upon the challenges businesses face when embedding sustainability into their operations. She highlighted the importance of fostering a corporate culture that values social and environmental impact, alongside investing in technology and training to accurately measure and report relevant indicators.
The Erasmus+ Project Account4GreenEco, through initiatives like this, continues to demonstrate its commitment to educating students as future professionals equipped to tackle 21st-century challenges with ethical and responsible approaches.
by Nicolas | Jan 21, 2025 | Sin categoría
The European Accounting Association (EAA) organized a Sustainability Reporting Standards Education workshop in conjunction with the EFRAG and the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
Four key academic speakers were invited to participate to share their experiences in teaching sustainability accounting. Our project member, Carlos Larrinaga, from the University of Burgos, was one of these key speakers. Carlos reflected on long-standing experiences of some academic communities, such as the Centre for Social and Environmental Accounting Research (CSEAR). He also introduced novel initiatives that seek to promote sustainability accounting education, making a special reference to the Account4GreenEco Project and the learning platform it is developing to foster the embeddedness of sustainability accounting education in university curricula.
Members from the three main sustainability reporting standards setters (EFRAG, ISSB and GRI) also participated in this event to share their views on the implications of their standards for accounting education.
The event was held on January 20-21, 2025, at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management (Germany).
by Nicolas | Dec 3, 2024 | Sin categoría
On 29 November 2024, the Spanish Association of University Lecturers of Accounting (Asociación Española de Profesores Universitarios de Contabilidad – ASEPUC) organized, in collaboration with the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, the first workshop on ‘University and Accounting Profession’. The workshop provided a space to debate the most critical accounting challenges from an academic and professional approach.
The coordinator of the Account4GreenEco project, Nicolás García Torea from the University of Burgos, participated in this conference as an invited speaker at the first round table, together with María Dolores Urrea, from the Spanish Accounting Regulator (Instituto de Contabilidad y Auditoría de Cuentas – ICAC) and Auditing Institute (ICAC), and Ramón Pueyo Viñuales, head of sustainability and corporate governance services at KPMG. This round table reflected on the need to incorporate the study of sustainability reporting and verification in university curricula. This issue is one of the challenges that the Account4GreenEco project is trying to address through the development of its online training platform and its activities with students and professors. The project partner, University of Burgos, has extensive experience on this matter, with the implementation of the first Spanish Official Master on Sustainability Reporting and Assurance.
In addition to discussing the integration of sustainability information in curricula, the conference also addressed other issues relevant to accounting education, research, and practice, such as artificial intelligence, the employability of graduates, and the professionalization of the work of accountants.
The conference, which was attended by more than 80 people from 19 Spanish universities, was also attended by the president of the ICAC, Santiago Durán Domínguez, and professionals from large auditing firms such as KPMG and Deloitte, and members of the Register of Accounting Economists and the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
