Overview    

Strong ethical leadership is essential to maintaining accountability, professional conduct, and trust within organisations, finance functions, and professional practices. In environments where leadership is absent, passive, inconsistent, or permissive, ethical uncertainty can quickly develop, creating conditions that allow poor behaviour, weak governance, unmanaged risk, and non-compliance to flourish. When expectations are unclear and accountability is weak, individuals and teams often begin to “lead themselves” in ways that may not align with professional standards, organisational values, or the public interest. 

This practical webinar explores the ethical, operational, and reputational consequences of weak leadership and unmanaged workplace culture. The session will examine the red flags and green flags that accountants, managers, CEOs, finance professionals, and practice leaders should recognise when assessing the ethical health of a workplace, client environment, finance team, or professional practice. Participants will also consider how leadership failures contribute to unethical conduct, poor decision-making, intimidation, weak controls, inadequate documentation, and increased professional exposure. 

Join Caryn Maitland CA(SA) on the 11th of June 2026 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm as she provides practical insight into recognising leadership-related ethical risks and responding appropriately in complex professional environments. This session will equip participants with practical tools for identifying ethical red flags, strengthening accountability, documenting professional judgement, encouraging speak-up culture, and embedding ethical leadership into daily business and professional practice. 

Learning objectives   

Attending this webinar will equip you with the following skills:  

• Recognise the ethical risks created by absent or permissive leadership 
• Identify red flags and green flags within organisational culture, management behaviour, and professional environments 
• Understand how leadership failures contribute to unethical conduct, poor governance, and professional risk 
• Apply professional judgement when responding to weak leadership environments and ethical concerns 
• Develop practical strategies to strengthen ethical leadership, accountability, and ethical decision-making 

Content   

The webinar will cover the following topics:  

•  Introduction: When Leadership Goes Missing 
  o Meaning of absent leadership 
  o Passive, permissive, avoidant, and inconsistent leadership 
  o Ethical drift and unmanaged behaviour 
  o The relationship between leadership, culture, governance, and professional ethics 

•  Ethical Leadership and the Role of the Professional Accountant 
  o Professional responsibility and the public interest 
  o Tone at the top and leadership by example 
  o Professional scepticism and professional judgement 
  o Accountability in finance functions and accounting practices 
  o Ethical influence without formal authority 

•  The Code of Professional Conduct and Leadership Behaviour 
  o Fundamental principles of professional ethics 
  o The conceptual framework approach 
  o Identifying, evaluating, and addressing threats 
  o Intimidation, familiarity, and self-interest threats 
  o Organisational culture and ethical risk 

•  Red Flags of Absent or Permissive Leadership 
  o Lack of clear expectations and accountability 
  o Poor supervision and inconsistent application of policies 
  o Management override of controls 
  o Normalisation of shortcuts and poor behaviour 
  o Retaliation, intimidation, and blame-shifting 
  o Weak documentation and unresolved conduct issues 

•  Green Flags of Ethical Leadership 
  o Clear ethical expectations and accountability 
  o Transparent decision-making and open communication 
  o Strong documentation and review culture 
  o Timely escalation of concerns 
  o Leadership that models integrity and objectivity 

•  The Cost and Impact of Leadership Failure 
  o Ethical drift and poor decision-making 
  o Weak internal controls and increased fraud risk 
  o Regulatory scrutiny and professional liability 
  o Reputational damage and stakeholder distrust 
  o Harm to organisational culture and confidence 

•  Case Studies and Practical Scenarios 
  o Permissive leadership environments 
  o Finance teams with weak accountability 
  o Client pressure and leadership silence 
  o Workplaces where ethical concerns are ignored 
  o Normalisation of shortcuts and unmanaged risk 

•  Responding to Red Flags 
  o Ethical decision-making frameworks 
  o Escalation protocols and respectful challenge 
  o Documentation of concerns and professional judgement 
  o Managing intimidation and pressure 
  o When to disengage, withdraw, or walk away 

•  Building Green Flag Environments 
  o Practical ethical leadership habits 
  o Embedding accountability into workflows 
  o Creating a speak-up culture 
  o Improving supervision and delegation 
  o Aligning leadership behaviour with professional values 

Obtaining your CPD certificate    

This training is compliant with the International Education Standard (IES7) issued by the International Federation of Accountants and recognised for CPD by relevant professional bodies including ACCA, CIMA, IAC, IIA, SAICA and SAIPA.  

All attendees are issued with a CPD certificate available in an online profile.  

About the presenter  

Caryn Maitland CA(SA) 

Caryn Maitland is a Chartered Accountant (SA). She has been a member of IRBA as a registered auditor and accountant since 2002 and is also a registered member of SAICA. 

Caryn has lectured Auditing and Accounting at various institutions and has conducted independent workshops and seminars for professional accountants since 2006 on various topics. She has presented on the national tour for the annual Legislation Update with ProBeta Training (Pty) Ltd in 2014 and 2015, as well as on the FASSET national tour for the Tax Administration Act in 2014.  Caryn is also involved with the annual SAICA SMP Technical tour.   

Who should attend?  

The following persons will benefit from attending this webinar:  

• Practising accountants including: CA(SA), Professional Accountant (SA), AGA(SA), FCCA, BAP(SA), BA(SA) and ACCA.  

• Registered auditors.  

• Audit managers.  

• Trainee accountants.    

Price  

• R 450.00 - Online admission - Individual.  

• Group Price 1 - From R337 per person (up to 5 users)   

• Group Price 2 - From R260 per person (up to 10 users)   

• Group Price 3 - From R224 per person (over 11 users)  

 Steps to register for the event:   

If you already have a profile, login and register for the webinar.  

If you don’t have a profile, create a free profile then login and register for the webinar.  

Click here to create a free profile (There is no charge to create a profile and gain access to our free Monthly Practice Management Series).  

Click here to find out about the Technical Resource Centre & CPD Subscription options.    

Additional material  

By attending this webinar you will be provided with:  

• A summarised slide presentation.  

• Reference documents and/or course material where available.  

• You can ask questions during the webinar and you will also have access to the presenter after the webinar.  

Corporate training solutions  

At the Accounting Academy, we recognize the evolving needs of businesses in today's dynamic environment. Beyond our standard webinar offerings, we provide tailored corporate training solutions designed to empower your team with the latest in accounting and professional skills. Whether you're looking for online sessions or face-to-face training, our programs are crafted to ensure a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.   

Drawing inspiration from modern training methodologies, our corporate solutions are interactive, adaptable, and focused on real-world applications. We prioritize hands-on learning, ensuring your team can immediately apply their newfound knowledge in practical scenarios.  

 Interested in a bespoke corporate training experience? Reach out to us at corporate@accountingacademy.co.za or call 010 593 0466. Together, let's design a training program that elevates your team's capabilities and aligns with your organizational goals.  

 Contact us  

  Have any questions or need any assistance? Contact us today!  

• Online chat through our website.  

• WhatsApp: Start chatting (+27635026114)  

• Phone: 010 593 0466  

• E-mail: ticket@accountingacademy.co.za