TORONTO, CANADA. - February 4, 2009 - ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK)) announced its endorsement of LEAD Canada's new sustainability reporting training course. This is the first such program in North America which is certified by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

GRI's framework sets out the principles and indicators that organizations can use to measure and report their economic, environmental, and social performance. "ACCA continues to support the world's most widely used sustainability reporting framework and gladly endorses LEAD Canada's GRI-certified training program," said Paul Costello, Head of ACCA Canada & USA.

This GRI-certified training program has been developed to help reporters and users to use GRI's sustainability reporting framework more effectively. "We expect that this training initiative will help increase the number of sustainability reports and enhance the quality and usage of these reports," said Mehrdad Nazari, Vice President of LEAD Canada and a GRI-approved trainer. Following successful completion of the 16 hour course, which is delivered over two days, participants receive course completion certificates directly from GRI. Further details about the course can be accessed at:http://www.leadcanada.net/GRI_course.html.

ACCA administers the most prestigious jury-based sustainability reporting awards scheme in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. ACCA is also a founding member of the Accounting for Sustainability Forum which brings together an international grouping of accounting bodies to develop practical tools enabling environmental and social performance to be better integrated into an organizations core strategies and financial operations.

About ACCA
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. ACCA supports its 122,000 members and 325,000 students throughout their careers, providing services through a network of 80 offices and centers in 170 countries. ACCA's focus is on professional values, ethics, and governance, and, works closely with multinational and small entities to promote global standards and support.

About LEAD Canada
LEAD International, is the largest non-profit organization in the world focused on leadership and sustainable development. LEAD Canada, which emerged from the Canadian National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy in 2002, is now an independent non-profit organization and a Member Program of LEAD International.

ACCA Canada

ACCA Canada

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is the global body for professional accountants. We aim to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.

We support our 147,000 members and 424,000 students throughout their careers, providing services through a network of 80 offices and centres. Our global infrastructure means that exams and support are delivered - and reputation and influence developed - at a local level, directly benefiting stakeholders wherever they are based, or plan to move to, in pursuit of new career opportunities.

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