This article written by Alina Nikishina was originally published in CPA Practice Advisor Magazine on November 21, 2022. Read original article here.
The Accounting Alchemy Network is advocating for a major shift in the accounting profession by empowering accountants to be a force for positive change in the world.

Formed and led by two former honorees of CPA Practice Advisor’s “40 under 40” and “20 under 40” Awards, the Accounting Alchemy Network (AAN) movement is advocating for a major shift in the accounting profession by empowering accountants to be a force for positive change in the world.
Ingrid Edstrom and Mathew Heggem founded AAN as a response to the acknowledgement that the current financial narratives in our culture and, by extension, the practices of the accounting profession are unsustainable. According to Edstrom and Heggem, accounting professionals are in a uniquely powerful position to steward forth a new regenerative story of money and finance that is not extractive of our planet or exploitative of our people, leveraging practices that take into consideration our impact as a profession on issues like climate change, racial equity, and intentional economic structures. The AAN vision is to create a world where accounting professionals are a positive force in developing a sustainable and regenerative global ecosystem and culture.
“Simply and bluntly put – ‘business as usual’ practices are not only destroying our planet, but they’re also outdated and need to change if we want to be financially abundant, attract the best talent, and provide the best service to the clients of today,” said Alina Nikishina, an inactive CPA and one of AAN’s leading supporters and founding members.
“Being a force for positive change in the world” sounds like a mission that’s easy to support, yet questions remain: Where does one start? How does one actually do this?