Emeritus honour for sustainability accounting leader

A world-class scholar, Emeritus Professor Milne has been at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) since 2006, building an international reputation in the field of social and environmental accounting (SEA). Over more than three decades, his work has helped transform SEA from a niche research area into a mainstream interdisciplinary field addressing urgent issues such as climate change, sustainability and corporate accountability.

Emeritus Professor Milne says, “When I started in the late 1980s, this field barely existed and was seen as a risky career move. It’s been incredible to watch it grow into a global area of research and to teach students to think critically about sustainability, not just in organisations, but to also to critically reflect on themselves and their lives.”

Emeritus Professor Milne’s research impact is reflected in global citation rankings. As of October 2024, he was ranked 43rd in the world, and first in New Zealand, among all accounting scholars, placing him in the top 2% of most-cited researchers in the accounting discipline. His publications have been cited more than 19,500 times, with four papers individually surpassing 1,000 citations, which is a rare achievement in the social sciences.

In recognition of his scholarship, Emeritus Professor Milne was awarded UC’s Doctor of Commerce degree in 2016, and UC’s prestigious Research Medal in 2021. He has also received international honours, including induction into the Halls of Fame of both the Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal and the University of St Andrews’ Centre for Social and Environmental Accounting. In 2019, he was further recognised with the Asia Pacific Interdisciplinary Research in Accounting Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Throughout his career, Emeritus Professor Milne has combined research excellence with service to the academic community. He has held senior editorial roles at leading journals including the Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, British Accounting Review, Critical Perspectives on Accounting, and the Journal of Business Ethics, while also serving on 12 other academic journal editorial boards. His published work spans over 120 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and professional and community contributions. He has also been an influential mentor, supervising generations of scholars who now hold senior academic positions in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and Canada.

Emeritus Professor Milne’s expertise has been sought by international accounting bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and Certified Practising Accountants Australia. His work has advanced global sustainability practice and boosted UC’s international standing in sustainability research, directly informing policy, and attracting rare levels of funding for accounting, including three Marsden Fund grants totalling NZ$1.6 million.

While his influence is global, Emeritus Professor Milne has also addressed issues central to New Zealand society, such as democratic accountability. 

As he takes on the Emeritus title, Emeritus Professor Milne leaves a legacy of world-class scholarship, mentorship and thought leadership that will continue to shape the future of accounting and sustainability research for years to come. 

He says, “My time at UC has been wonderful, and I feel it an enormous privilege to have been awarded both a higher degree, and the UC Research Medal. It’s an absolute honour to be recognised as an Emeritus Professor.   

“My retirement consists of finishing up on-going research projects, nurturing my garden into an ecosanctuary for native lizards and birds and volunteering on back country hut renovations.”