Professor Barker will start his new role from July 2022.
Richard Barker, Professor of Accounting and Deputy Dean of Saïd Business School has been appointed to the newly-created International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
The ISSB was announced at COP26 and has been established to create sustainability-related disclosure standards, to be used by listed companies globally. The ISSB will sit alongside the International Accounting Standards Board, which sets global financial accounting standards (IFRS).
The appointment means Professor Barker will be taking a four-year period of leave, stepping down from his current roles and responsibilities.
Reflecting on the news, Professor Soumitra Dutta, Dean of Saïd Business School, said:
‘This exciting opportunity will see Richard working at the forefront of sustainability standards in business. Richard has made a lasting impact to the school’s sustainability initiatives and we will continue to collaborate on these activities throughout his leave of absence.
Equally, Richard has made an invaluable contribution to the School, not only as a valued Faculty Dean, but also during his time in the Interim Leadership Team. In this period, Richard helped navigate the school through Covid and beyond. I am truly grateful for all he has done for our community and wish him the very best in this new role.’
Professor Barker has led the school’s work on sustainable business, publishing a wide range of academic research papers on accounting and sustainability disclosures. Professor Barker also chairs the expert panel of Accounting for Sustainability (a Prince of Wales charity) and he has previously served as a member of several committees focused on corporate reporting in the UK and Europe, including the UK Corporate Reporting Council, the Financial Reporting Advisory Board and the European Accounting Association’s Accounting Standards Committee.
Commenting on the news, Professor Barker said:
‘I feel privileged to be joining the ISSB at such an exciting and pivotal time, helping to shape both the board itself and the standards it produces. This work is important for the global transition to sustainable business models, a mission Oxford Saïd has long been aligned with.’