The Hong Kong Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) is an independent, voluntary, non-profit professional body dedicated to the advancement of the accounting profession in Hong Kong and beyond. Established in 1973, the HKICPA has been continuously developing and promoting the profession, and helping its members to provide quality professional services to the public. Today, it is one of the largest professional bodies in Hong Kong with over 12,000 qualified members and their equivalents in the region.
The HKICPA has a thriving membership network in many parts of the world, consisting of practising certified public accountants (CPAs) and others who hold the qualification and practice the profession. It is dedicated to advancing the accounting profession by focusing on the following five core areas:
1. Education and training – providing professional qualifications and continuing professional development programmes to strengthen the quality of members’ practice.
2. Professional standards – maintaining and helping to improve the quality of financial reporting and the principles and practice of public accounting in Hong Kong by setting and continuously monitoring appropriate professional standards.
3. Quality assurance – identifying, controlling and continuously uplifting the quality of financial reports presented to the public through statutory audit and assurance engagements.
4. Support to members – providing a full range of professional services and guidance, including practice development and association networks.
5. Advocacy – advocating on behalf of members and the wider public at events and forums, providing comment on statutory, industry and other relevant matters.
The HKICPAs main function is to protect the quality of the accounting profession in Hong Kong, and to ensure that the public is provided with professional services of the highest quality. The HKICPA sets and regulates standards of ethical conduct and quality assurance, and monitors the performance of members so that the public can be assured of professional services and the highest standards of ethics.
The HKICPA is devoted to the development of the profession in the Greater China Region. It provides an infrastructure for members and their clients to access services in all areas of the profession, from taxation and auditing to business and financial planning. Additionally, it sets and reviews guidelines on professional conduct and corporate governance to ensure that members are compliant with the current international standards.
The HKICPA also provides opportunities for members to network and collaborate, with numerous events and activities organised throughout the year. These opportunities enable members to stay up-to-date with developments in their profession, as well as meeting and working with other professionals within the Institute and in the wider business community.
The HKICPA exists to serve the needs not only of its members, but also of the people of the Hong Kong SAR. As a professional body, it seeks to promote the highest standards both through its education and continuous professional development programmes, and through its firm commitment to ethical and quality practices.
