The relationship between the accounting profession and sustainability reporting and a case study in Kazakhstan

Sustainability, which is one of the key concepts in the fight against climate change, remains a contemporary field of work in all areas. Many institutions, including the United Nations, as well as governments and businesses, are making various efforts to transition towards sustainable development. Sustainability reporting is one of the main tools in achieving set goals and facilitating this transition process. In this research, the relationship of sustainability reporting with the accounting profession in the implementation of sustainable economy is tried to be revealed in Kazakhstan. In the new business environment also known as the green economy, efforts are being made to determine the contribution of accounting practices to enable businesses to remain competitive and maintain a stable position in the changing external environment.In the practical part of the study, sustainability reports of oil and gas companies in Kazakhstan, especially KazMunayGaz, were compared with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, to examine the alignment of the company's sustainability reports with GRI standards. It was found that the company's sustainability reporting aligns with GRI standards. However, considering that only a few companies in Kazakhstan report on sustainable development, it can be said that there is insufficient progress compared to economically developed countries in this area. Due to the limited quantity of companies in Kazakhstan adhering to sustainable development principles and following these practices, the examination of KazMunayGaz's sustainability reports suggests that other companies could use KazMunayGaz as a model. Recommendations are made to encourage adoption, support through legal frameworks, and enhance existing practices in order to improve sustainability reporting.