The accounting and bookkeeping professions have long relied on formal organizations to establish standards, protect the public interest, and support practitioners through education, advocacy, and community.
These bodies, ranging from global standard-setters to local bookkeeping guilds, form the institutional backbone of the financial services ecosystem.
This portion of our web guide may include professional bodies and membership organizations, such as national and international accounting institutes, bookkeeping associations, and credentialing bodies, such as CPA Canada/Australia, the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Regulatory and standard-setting institutions are organizations that issue accounting standards, are reponsible for audit oversight, and may include ethics boards and compliance authorities.
Industry support and advocacy groups include trade associations, small-business bookkeeping networks, and non-profits promoting financial literacy or professional development.
Historical and archival material has spawned the evolution of accounting societies, who commemorate milestones in professionalism, as well as recognizing early bookkeeping guilds and their influence.
Also involved are educational and certification resources, such as industry training programs, continuing professional education (CPE), examination boards, and qualification pathways.
Research, publications, and thought leadership in the industry includes journals, white papers, and technical guidance, along with economic and regulatory analysis, adn best-practice frameworks for practioners. In short, on-topic content includes organizations whose mission, governance, or output directly supports the practice, regulation, education, or advancement of accounting and bookkeeping.
The origins of organized accounting trace back to medieval Europe, where merchant guilds and trade associations informally regulated bookkeeping practices. The publication of Luca Pacioli's Summa de Arithmetica in 1494, often credited with codifying double-entry bookkeeping, created a shared conceptual foundation, although formal professional bodies did not yet exist.
The Industrial Revolution dramatically increased the scale and complexity of commerce. As corporations grew and capital markets expanded, the need for reliable financial reporting became urgent. This period saw the birth of modern accounting organizations. In 1854, the Institute of Accountants in Edinburgh (later ICAS) became the world's first professional accounting body. Similar institutes emerged across the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States in the late 1800s. In 1896, New York established the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation, formalizing professional standards in the United States.
As multinational corporations and global markets developed, accounting organizations expanded their scope. National bodies consolidated and standardized qualifications, and international federations emerged to formalize practices across borders. Regulatory oversight increased due to financial scandals, prompting the creation of audit oversight boards and ethics councils.
Today's accounting organizations operate in a landscape shaped by digital transformation, automation, and global regulatory convergence. They now address cybersecurity, sustainability reporting, data analytics, and the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence.
These organizations serve several functions, including standard setting, certification, professional development, public policy, advocacy, research, networking, and public protection. By enforcing ethical codes and disciplinary procedures, they safeguard the integrity of financial reporting and protect stakeholders.
Recommended Resources
Operating together as AICPA & CIMA, and jointly powering the CGMA designation, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (the UK-based professional body for management accountants) and the American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (the US national professional organization of Certified Public Accountants) together run the Chartered Global Management Accountant designation and share other resources, combining public accounting and management accounting perspectives.
https://www.aicpa-cima.com/
American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers
AIPB is a US-based professional association that offers the nationally recognized Certified Bookkeeper (CB) credential, self-study coursework, continuing education, and member resources for career bookkeepers, aimed at experienced bookkeeping professionals rather than absolute beginners. An overview of the AIPB, certification details, eligibility, and exam requirements are set forth on the website, along with costs, providers, and continuing education requirements.
https://aipb.org/
Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board
The FASAB is a US federal advisory committee charged with improving federal financial reporting through the issuance of federal standards and providing guidance. The Board sets generally accepted accounting principles for the US government and its component entities. Its mission, a three-year plan, and governance documents are featured, along with a list of board members and staff, meeting schedules, an overview of FASAB projects, technical inquiries, and contacts.
https://fasab.gov/
The International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation (IFRSF) is a non-profit organization that sets corporate reporting standards for the capital markets globally founded on the belief that better information from companies leads to better investment decisions. Founded in 1973, its main objectives include the development and promotion in the public interest a single set of high-quality, understandable, enforceable, and globally accepted standards.
https://www.ifrs.org/
National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers
The NACPB is a US professional organization that administers the Certified Public Bookkeeper (CPB) credential, training courses, continuing education, and licensing resources for bookkeepers and small-business accounting professionals. It positions the CPB as a nationally recognized bookkeeping certification and offers study materials, exams, and member services. The NACPB runs the CPB program, which includes coursework, exam scheduling, and a licensing pathway.
https://www.nacpb.org/
National Society of Accountants
The NSA is a U.S. professional association for tax and accounting practitioners founded in 1945. It represents about 30,000 independent practitioners and focuses on education, practice rights advocacy, and member services for small-practice accountants and tax preparers. Originally known as the National Society of Public Accountants, the NSA is a non-profit trade association serving "Main Street" accounting and tax professionals, those running small firms or working independently.
https://nsacct.org/
Society of Defense Financial Management
SDFM is the professional association for Department of Defense and Coast Guard financial managers, offering networking, training, a professional journal, chapter events, and awards for the defense resource management community. Tracing its roots to 1948, it serves a global membership through more than a hundred chapters. Its mission focus is on advancing defense financial management and national security through professional development, information sharing, and recognition programs.
https://sdfm.org/
