Social accounting is commonly used in the context of business or corporate social responsibility (CSR) although any organization including NGOs charities and government agencies may engage in
social accounting.
SAM (
social accounting matrix) forms the basis for the development of CGE models.
The idea of CSR is closely connected with the concept of
social accounting and reporting.
In fact, robust
social accounting and responsibility reporting is fast becoming the standard for businesses, not the exception.
Carmichael's interest in Concert Properties is linked to her interest in the development of
social accounting frameworks that would take account of social and economic benefits and costs, as well as financial risks and returns.
The latest accolades come after Traidcraft collected its third ACCA Award for
social accounting and the announcement that Richard Adams is to receive an honorary doctorate from Newcastle University.
This is a growing trend and means that companies must account for extra-financial concerns more and more, requiring expertise in areas from
social accounting and environmental management to stakeholder dialogue and report development.
His aim is to develop "
social accounting metrics' to assess the success of communities.
The
Social Accounting Matrix, SAM, brings the aggregate national accounts of a country together and breaks them down into production sectors, production factors, earning households expenditure categories, government, and the rest of the world; the whole within a consistent and statistically closed matrix.
But why should an organisation undertake the lengthy and challenging process of
social accounting, auditing and reporting?
Social Accounting Matrices and
Social Accounting Analysis is nicely surveyed in Chapter 7.
Using a latest
social accounting matrix for the year 1989-90 and the static fixed-price model, various simulation exercises have been performed.
