Celebrating the Intellectual Contribution of Professor Rob Gray: The Past, Present and Future of Social and Environmental Accounting Research

Abstract

As Editors of Social and Environmental Accountability Journal (SEAJ), we are very proud to introduce this special issue in celebration of the intellectual contribution of Professor Rob Gray to the field of Social and Environmental Accounting (SEA). The impetus for this special issue grew out of a number of events and sessions that were held during the 25th CSEAR International Congress at the University of St Andrews in September 2013. Most notably, following Rob’s announcement, in 2012, that he was retiring from the directorship of CSEAR, it was decided that the 2013 CSEAR International Congress should be extended by one day to mark Rob’s contribution to CSEAR and the wider SEA community. As part of this event, a number of leading international accounting scholars were invited to reflect upon Rob’s scholarship; it is these reflections, by Professors Jane Broadbent, Richard Laughlin, David Owen and Lee Parker, which form the basis of this special issue. In addition, the special issue also includes a response by Rob, as well as a further article outlining the contours of SEA research in the UK. The final piece in the special issue is more forward looking, and describes the activities associated with two plenary sessions, which were held at the 25th CSEAR International Congress, focused on discussing (i) the Future of the Field and (ii) the Future of CSEAR.