This is from the “Accounting Makes Cents” podcast episode #102 released on Monday, 17 November 2025.

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Today, we’ll cover artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation (RPA), IFRS S1 and S2 for sustainability reporting, explaining where they appear in the syllabus, when they were introduced, and why they matter for students and professionals.

Jump to show notes.

Digital transformation

Before we dive into AI, RPA, and sustainability, it’s worth reflecting on why digital transformation became such a key focus in CIMA. This really started with the 2019 update to E1 — Managing Finance in a Digital World.

Back then, CIMA shifted the syllabus to emphasise the digital and technological aspects of modern finance. The changes introduced topics like the role of the finance function in a digital era, technology in business, data and information management, and how finance interacts with the wider organisation. These weren’t just minor tweaks — they highlighted that finance is no longer just about reporting numbers, but about using data and digital tools to drive decision-making and create strategic value.

In other words, the 2019 E1 changes laid the groundwork for the more recent additions like AI, RPA, and cloud-based analytics, showing that digital transformation isn’t a passing trend; it’s at the heart of how modern finance operates. In E1, digital transformation appears under technology and process design, focusing on how modern systems support business operations, drive efficiency, and improve decision-making. At the management level in P2, students explore how digital tools enhance budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and performance management — for example, how ERP systems reduce errors, eliminate delays, and strengthen decision support. Then at the strategic level in E3 and P3, the focus shifts to how technology aligns with business strategy, how digital disruption reshapes competitive positioning, and what leaders need to consider when designing a digitally enabled organisation.

So while digital transformation isn’t “new” anymore, it remains central in the syllabus because it continues to redefine how finance creates value.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

Now let’s do artificial intelligence. While CIMA has long covered business intelligence and data analytics, especially in E1 and P2, these topics have mainly focused on traditional BI — tools that help collect, process, and visualize data to support decision-making. BI itself isn’t new; it has been part of the syllabus for several cycles.

What is new is CIMA’s much stronger emphasis on AI and advanced analytics in the 2026 syllabus update. AI goes beyond standard BI reporting by introducing capabilities like predictive modeling, scenario simulation, pattern recognition, and anomaly detection. These tools allow finance professionals to move from hindsight and insight to foresight, using algorithms to anticipate trends, risks, and opportunities.

We now see AI explicitly in E1, where the focus expands from traditional BI to more advanced, technology-enabled decision-support systems. In P2 and P3, AI is linked to performance evaluation, forecasting, and risk assessment, showing how AI-generated insights can influence budgets, KPIs, and business decisions. And in P3, CIMA places emphasis on the ethical and governance considerations of using AI to assess reliability, address bias, and ensure that AI remains aligned with organisational values and control frameworks.

AI as a modern skillset for management accountants is important as they enter a data-driven business environment.

Robotic process automation (RPA)

Next up we have RPA, which is robotic process automation. It’s not as fresh a topic as AI, but it’s still incredibly relevant because RPA continues to handle many of the repetitive, rules-based tasks in finance, like reconciliations, payroll, or invoice processing.

In the CIMA syllabus, automation forms part of E1 under ‘technology in a digital world,’ where the focus is on process improvement and efficiency. In P2, we learn to assess the impact of automation on cost management and operational performance. Strategic implications then appear in E3 and P3, where the syllabus covers change management, risk assessment, and organisational design considerations associated with automation. Essentially, CIMA teaches us not just what RPA does, but it teaches us how it influences decision-making, risk, and long-term strategy.

Sustainability reporting

Finally, let’s talk about sustainability reporting, which is one of the newest and most significant updates in the CIMA syllabus, particularly with the introduction of IFRS S1 and S2. These standards provide a structured framework for reporting environmental, social, and governance or ESG performance. Unlike RPA or business intelligence, which have been around for years, sustainability is a fresh area reflecting how finance professionals are expected to guide organisations in meeting social, environmental, and ethical responsibilities.

In E1, we are introduced to the concepts of corporate responsibility and sustainability frameworks. The focus is on why ESG matters, how it influences decision-making across the organisation, and the role finance plays in supporting sustainable outcomes. This isn’t just theory — finance teams are increasingly involved in translating ESG commitments into measurable, reportable metrics.

Now we get to management level, F2 and P2, the syllabus looks at how ESG data integrates into performance measurement and management accounting. For example, we learn to consider metrics like energy consumption, carbon emissions, employee diversity, or community investment, all these non-financial data that can influence budgeting, cost control, and strategic decisions. This also ties into digital transformation, because collecting, analysing, and visualising ESG data often relies on automated systems and dashboards.

At the strategic level in P3, the emphasis shifts to linking ESG outcomes to long-term value creation, risk management, and stakeholder expectations. We are expected to evaluate how sustainability initiatives affect strategic planning, resource allocation, and organisational performance. There’s also a strong focus on governance and ethics, ensuring that ESG reporting is accurate, transparent, and reliable and credible, which aligns with broader corporate governance principles.Ultimately, sustainability reporting in the syllabus isn’t just about understanding ESG metrics. It’s about preparing finance professionals to use these insights to guide strategy, manage risk, and create value, showing that finance has a central role in shaping responsible, future-ready businesses.

Ultimately, sustainability reporting in the syllabus isn’t just about understanding ESG metrics. It’s about preparing finance professionals to use these insights to guide strategy, manage risk, and create value, showing that finance has a central role in shaping responsible, future-ready businesses.

Show notes simplified

In this special 4th anniversary and year-end episode, we take a broad look at some of the updates in the CIMA syllabus. From digital transformation to emerging topics like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and Sustainability Reporting under IFRS S1 & S2, this episode explores how the world of finance is evolving and what it means for future finance professionals.