Ungu eanu, Mihaela
A icle
In eg a ion o G een Accoun ing In o Romanian
Accoun ing Sys em
CES Wo king Pape s
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
Cen e o Eu opean S udies, Alexand u Ioan Cuza Uni e si y
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Ungu eanu, Mihaela (2012) : In eg a ion o G een Accoun ing In o Romanian
Accoun ing Sys em, CES Wo king Pape s, ISSN 2067-7693, Alexand u Ioan Cuza Uni e si y o Iasi,
Cen e o Eu opean S udies, Iasi, Vol. 4, Iss. 1, pp. 100-109
This Ve sion is a ailable a :
h ps://hdl.handle.ne /10419/198160
S anda d-Nu zungsbedingungen:
Die Dokumen e au EconS o dü en zu eigenen wissenscha lichen
Zwecken und zum P i a geb auch gespeiche und kopie we den.
Sie dü en die Dokumen e nich ü ö en liche ode komme zielle
Zwecke e iel äl igen, ö en lich auss ellen, ö en lich zugänglich
machen, e eiben ode ande wei ig nu zen.
So e n die Ve asse die Dokumen e un e Open-Con en -Lizenzen
(insbesonde e CC-Lizenzen) zu Ve ügung ges ell haben soll en,
gel en abweichend on diesen Nu zungsbedingungen die in de do
genann en Lizenz gewäh en Nu zungs ech e.
Te ms o use:
Documen s in EconS o may be sa ed and copied o you pe sonal
and schola ly pu poses.
You a e no o copy documen s o public o comme cial pu poses, o
exhibi he documen s publicly, o make hem publicly a ailable on he
in e ne , o o dis ibu e o o he wise use he documen s in public.
I he documen s ha e been made a ailable unde an Open Con en
Licence (especially C ea i e Commons Licences), you may exe cise
u he usage igh s as speci ied in he indica ed licence.
h ps://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/
C
CE
ES
S
W
Wo
o
k
ki
in
ng
g
P
Pa
ap
pe
e
s
s,
,
I
IV
V,
,
(
(1
1)
),
,
2
20
01
12
2
100
INTEGRATION OF GREEN ACCOUNTING INTO ROMANIAN
ACCOUNTING SYSTEM
Mihaela Ungu eanu
Alexand u Ioan Cuza Uni e si y o Iasi
[email protected]
Abs ac : The aim o his pape is o p esen he concep o g een accoun ing, i s eme gence a an
in e na ional le el, i s en y in he Romanian economic en i onmen and, especially, he way i is unde s ood
and applied in Romania. I seeks he awa eness o manage s and accoun ing p o essionals on his issue,
especially in he con ex o g owing p essu e o en i onmen al p o ec ion, om he gene al public, media
and in es o s. An essen ial ole is held by he accoun ing p o ession and i s ele an legisla ion, h ough he
elabo a ion o s anda ds and guidelines in o de o suppo he e o s o changing he men ali y o business
en i onmen . The companies a e also conce ned o he u u e and no only o he p esen and hey
unde s and ha en i onmen al in es men s a e no unnecessa y expenses ha bu den he ac i i ies, bu long-
e m p o i s p e equisi es.
Unde s anding he concep is di icul wi hou an ag eemen on i s de ini ion. Specialized li e a u e
p esen s di e en de ini ions, each au ho wi h his own in e p e a ion and ision. This is why p o essional
accoun an s' eluc ance o adop new ideas and p ac ices o g een accoun ing, his being an unknown
e i o y o hem and di icul o en e ed.
Keywo ds: g een accoun ing, en i onmen al cos s, indica o s, bene i s, pe o mance
JEL Clasi ica ion: M41, Q51, Q56
INTRODUCTION
I o he ma e ial esou ces he supplie s a e esponsible o ensu ing hem in he p oduc ion
p ocess, o he na u al esou ces he esponsibili y o hei exis ence lies in all o us, h ough
imma e ial ac o s ela ed o a esponsible spi i , men ali y and he awa eness o u u e e ec s. I is
looking o an answe abou he need o g een accoun ing a he mic o and mac oeconomic le el.
So, i is necessa y o p esen he na u al asse s and liabili ies, bu also he delimi a ion be ween
en i onmen al in es men s and cos s. To unde s and he economic bene i s ha can be ob ained
om en i onmen al policies, he e ec s o g een accoun ing and o an en i onmen al managemen
sys em implemen a ed in an en ep ise mus be p esen ed. G een accoun ing can also ul ill he
de iciencies o adi ional accoun ing and o in eg a e en i onmen al issues in pe o mance
epo ing.
G een accoun ing o en i onmen al accoun ing has eme ged as a necessi y in he global
p oblem o using na u al esou ces in a sus ainable manne . The answe is ep esen ed by he
 AKNOWLEDGEMENT: This wo k was suppo ed by he he Eu opean Social Fund in Romania, unde he
esponsibili y o he Managing Au ho i y o he Sec o al Ope a ional P og amme o Human Resou ces De elopmen
2007-2013 [g an POSDRU/CPP 107/DMI 1.5/S/78342].
C
CE
ES
S
W
Wo
o
k
ki
in
ng
g
P
Pa
ap
pe
e
s
s,
,
I
IV
V,
,
(
(1
1)
),
,
2
20
01
12
2
101
managemen o esou ces in a way ha allows hei use in he p esen wo k, bu also hei u u e
exis ence. Those who consume he na u al esou ces should be awa e o he impo ance o
ecosys em in he plane 's li e, hese esou ces being li e i sel . Should be disposed o sel ishness ha
go e ns he ac i i ies o a ious indus y playe s, who a e only conce ned wi h cu en ope a ing,
immedia e bene i s, wi hou aking in o accoun he needs o u u e gene a ions. The e a e many
who do no unde s and ha hey a e no due o na u al exis ing in as uc u e.
Any mode n o ganiza ion mus in es iga e, know and exploi he condi ions ound in he
en i onmen , ying o in eg a e i as e ec i ely. I on he in e nal en i onmen he o ganiza ion can
exe an in luence almos comple e in he sense o building a sus ainable compe i i e ad an age
based on ela ed esou ces, he ex e nal en i onmen al ac o s can be also in luenced o some
ex en , bu anyway, hey should be aken in o accoun by manage s o es ablish he s a egy o
o ganiza ions hey lead. On he o he hand, any o ganiza ion mus be awa e ha , in ac , he ex e nal
en i onmen is pa o i s exis ence, as a p o ide o inpu s en e ing he sys em as well as we e he
ou pu s o i s wo k a e launched. The e o e, he absence o pe manen epo s on en i onmen al
condi ions, bo h in e nal and ex e nal, can be a al o any o ganiza ion, ega dless o size, indus y,
powe o success.
1. EMERGENCE AND EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT
The Summi o Rio (3 d o 14 h June 1992) had as esul he eme gence o Agenda 21 which
b ough o he a en ion o all new concep s and me hods in a new ield o applied s a is ics and
speci ic en i onmen al s a is ics. Thus, he need and impo ance o en i onmen in economic
decisions was ecognized, se e al app oaches o he ela ionship be ween na u al en i onmen and
economy o be aken in o accoun . On he one hand, a s a is ical desc ip ion o he impac o
economic ac i i y on he na u al en i onmen was discussed, and on he o he hand, a s a is ical
amewo k ocused on he economy, conce ned abou he in e ac ion be ween economy and
en i onmen , only o he ex en ha en i onmen al issues a e e lec ed in economic ansac ions.
Ano he impo an e ec o he Rio Summi was he sepa a ion o mone a y assessmen s o na u al
en i onmen o he “g een” na ional accoun ing o he non-mone a y o physical ones.
The business wo ld has app op ia ed as a p ima y pu pose o ob aining sho - e m inancial
bene i s, despi e he sus ainable bene i s designed o main ain economic balance by e en he
ecological balance. The si ua ion was also e lec ed in he Romanian socie y in an e en mo e
ha m ul manne , since in mos o he coun ies manu ac u e s ha e ealized he dange o excessi e
C
CE
ES
S
W
Wo
o
k
ki
in
ng
g
P
Pa
ap
pe
e
s
s,
,
I
IV
V,
,
(
(1
1)
),
,
2
20
01
12
2
102
consump ion o he na u al esou ces wi hou egene a ing hem. Resou ce sus ainabili y ensu es
business con inui y, so by de aul ob aining a con inuous p o i , bu mos impo an , he con inui y
o li e i sel . E en i he inancial bene i s a e lowe , is mo e impo an o ob ain hei u u e sa e y.
En i onmen al p o ec ion has eme ged as a conce n in Romania since he la e nine een h
cen u y, when ques ions ha e a isen abou a s a egy o na u e p o ec ion and p e en abusi e
exploi a ion. The i s en i onmen al p o ec ion law – Law o Na u al Monumen s P o ec ion – was
enac ed in 1930 and a yea la e he Na u al He i age P ese a ion Commission was ounded, ha
wo ks oday unde he pa onage o he Romanian Academy. The e ha e been ollowed by o he
egula ions, bu an en i onmen al law has been applied only since 1973.
The 90s we e a pe iod o con alescence in Romania, a e an excessi e indus ializa ion ha
had a nega i e impac on he en i onmen and quali y o li e.
G een accoun ing has been a subjec o dispu e in he las wo decades, al hough he me hods
de eloped and applied o Eu opean Union and he Uni ed Na ions we e app o ed o a ce ain poin ,
bu o ganiza ions ha e no ag eed in many espec s. La es epo on ou coun y's p epa edness o
EU accession (Sep embe 26 h, 2006) showed some p og ess in he adminis a i e capaci y o
en i onmen al p o ec ion and ela ed p o essional o ganiza ion. The epo also emphasized he
need o s eng hen he ole o he Minis y and Na ional En i onmen Agency o local and egional
agencies.
Romania’s EU accession on he 1s o Janua y 2007 had a p o ound impac on en i onmen al
policy and i s ins umen s. Thus, he a ailabili y o s a is ical da a based on he acquis
communau ai e, quali a i e and compa able, has become a p io i y. The equi emen s imposed o
Romania o he nego ia ion o accession we e included in he acquis communau ai e in Chap e 22
“En i onmen al P o ec ion”. This a ea enjoys in he Eu opean Union o a special a en ion a ious
s a egies and policies o p o ide ools o achie e objec i es being implemen ed.
In his con ex , on he 12 h o Decembe 2008, he in e na ional colloquium i led
Globalisa ion o concep s in en i onmen al law ook place in Pa is, ha ing s udied he epo o a
esea ch p ojec o he Uni e si y o Pa is I de eloped by a F ench eam in collabo a ion wi h o he
eigh coun ies. Findings showed an ala ming si ua ion in he Cen al-Eu opean coun ies,
especially in Romania, whe e he en i onmen al aspec is almos igno ed. The e a e no ela ed
s a egies and he au ho i ies ocus on he p oblem, only a e na u al disas e s. So he en i onmen
is blamed, many conside he na u e he main culp i o he looding, landslides, when people a e
losing hei a ms o ag icul u al losses, e c., wi hou equi ing hem o know o ealize ha he
main aul lies wi h he w ong in e en ion on he na u al cou se o human na u e. Unde s anding
C
CE
ES
S
W
Wo
o
k
ki
in
ng
g
P
Pa
ap
pe
e
s
s,
,
I
IV
V,
,
(
(1
1)
),
,
2
20
01
12
2
103
hese isks would be accessible o all, especially hose in he economic ield, he de elopmen o
wo b anches: law and en i onmen accoun ing.
Using en i onmen al accoun ing in la ge companies o he wo ld eme ged as a necessi y o
p ese ing he na u al en i onmen , om he use o i s esou ces in economic ac i i ies. The
complexi y o en i onmen al p oblems shows he di icul ies ha en e p ises ace when deciding o
implemen and de elop a sys em o en i onmen al managemen and an en i onmen al accoun ing.
Cu en ly, wo ldwide he ecosys em conse a ion p oblem is ea ed mo e se iously and mo e
se e e penal ies a e p o ided o hose who dis ega d he e o s made in his ega d. Among he
mos impo an en i onmen al p o ec ion measu es one can emembe : applica ion o he “pollu e
pays” p inciple, aising public awa eness and encou aging non-go e nmen al o ganiza ions in his
ield.
The p esen si ua ion o he na u al en i onmen has been complica ed by he cu en
economic c isis, all he a en ion being ocused mainly on economics, hus neglec ing he
en i onmen al policies.
2. INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE INTO ENTERPRISE
ACCOUNTING SYSTEM
In an en e p ise, en i onmen al accoun ing ep esen s he in e sec ion o en i onmen al
in o ma ion sys em and accoun ing in o ma ion, pa icipa ing in he e alua ion o lows aking
place be ween he en i y and he en i onmen , bu also in managing and p esen ing he esul s in
inancial bu also he en i onmen e ms. En i onmen al in o ma ions a e o be ound as:
 capi alized cos s, o he es o a ion o he a ec ed a ea om an ecological poin o iew;
 cu en expendi u es, hose ela ed o he en i onmen ma e ial, collec ion and was e
ea men , moni o ing and con ol o pollu ion, wi hou amoun s co e ed by ines;
 en i onmen al liabili ies ha e lec he p o isions o es o a ion and ecological
econs uc ion o he a ea, o was e managemen , en i onmen al ce i ica es, e c.
The en i onmen al managemen sys em ocuses on issues ela ed o he en i onmen in ol ed
in he en i y ac i i ies and iden i ies esou ces and he esul s he eo . I he ac i i ies and esou ces
used can be measu ed by cha ges, he cos s and bene i s o en i onmen al p oblems managing a e
mo e easily pe cei ed by manage s.
Implemen ed in o he sys em o an en i y, g een accoun ing is ac ing on he i s ac i i ies in
se e al di ec ions, he main pu pose being he educ ion o en i onmen al ha m.

C
CE
ES
S
W
Wo
o
k
ki
in
ng
g
P
Pa
ap
pe
e
s
s,
,
I
IV
V,
,
(
(1
1)
),
,
2
20
01
12
2
104
In o de o emphasize i s ole he e ec s o he implemen a ion should be p esen ed, namely:
 s a awa eness and sensi iza ion on he en i onmen gi en ha he accoun ing
in o ma ion sys em, igno es mo e o less he en i onmen al in o ma ion ele an , such pe o mance
being a ely shown;
 i o en ep esen s how an en i onmen al in o ma ion sys em is de eloped, as is a i s
in e sec ion wi h he accoun ing in o ma ion;
 helps assess he lows aking place be ween he company and he en i onmen , he
managemen and p esen a ion o esul s on he en i onmen and he inancial plan.
P ac ical expe ience has shown ha he implemen a ion o a g een accoun ing has immedia e
e ec s on he employee pe cep ion on he en i onmen and he e iciency o managing non-
enewable esou ces.
De eloping an en i onmen al accoun ing sys em is made, i s , by connec ing en i onmen al
managemen o inancial accoun ing, condi iona ed by he de e mina ion o en i onmen al elemen s,
o he en i y, selec ing hose conside ed signi ican and abou which he managemen would like
in o ma ion. These a e i ems o en i onmen al cos .
En i onmen al cos ep esen s an economic ca ego y uni e sally accep ed and ha pa o
esou ces used ha o se s he labo and aw ma e ial consump ion o ob aining a en i onmen al
se ice. The cos exp esses in alue e ms a whole o ac o s consumed in p oduc ion o
en i onmen al se ices and consis s o he expenses incu ed by he manu ac u e . Iden i ica ion
and ecogni ion o en i onmen al cos s a e signi ican in making good managemen decisions.
The e a e also cases when i is di icul o sepa a e en i onmen al cos s by hose wi h heal h
and sa e y o isk managemen . He e i can be conside ed he cos o "clean" echnologies, o
moni o ing he ca ego ies o aw ma e ials and supplie s, e c.
Con en ional cos s a e hose implied by he consump ion o aw ma e ials, u ili ies, capi al
goods, ha a e e lec ed in cos accoun ing and in es men budge , al hough he e a e no usually
ecognized as en i onmen al cos s. F om he ecologically poin o iew, hei educ ion is p e e ed
bo h in e ms o en i onmen al deg ada ion and educing he consump ion o non- enewable
esou ces.
Po en ial hidden cos s a e mainly he p ojec ed cos s incu ed in ad ance o he p oduc ion
p ocess. These cos s may be ela ed o loca ion, design o p ocesses and p oduc s en i onmen aly
o ien ed, selec ion o supplie s, e alua ion o a ious pollu ion con ol equipmen . Secondly his
ca ego y may also include he se and olun a ily suppo ed in exploi a ion ac i i y ea ed as
indi ec cos s.
C
CE
ES
S
W
Wo
o
k
ki
in
ng
g
P
Pa
ap
pe
e
s
s,
,
I
IV
V,
,
(
(1
1)
),
,
2
20
01
12
2
105
Unexpec ed cos s (con ingen ) may o may no be equi ed by u u e wo k, aiming o emedy
o compensa e an acciden – pollu ion ac o , ines and u u e penal ies e c.
Cos s wi h image/ ela ions a e conside ed as less angible o in angible aim o imp o e he
pe cep ion o managemen , cus ome s, employees, communi y and o he pa ne s. They can be
called “image cha ges”. He e he cos s wi h annual en i onmen al epo s and ac i i ies o
main enance o ela ionships wi h he communi y may be included, hose cos s olun a y asumed
o en i onmen al ac i i ies ( ee plan ing, pollu ion p e en ion p og ams).
Con en ional cos s include mos ypes o cos s: o capi al, labo and ma e ials. Many o hese
can be alloca ed di ec ly o p oduc s and p ocesses o may be included in inancial e alua ion o
capi al in es men . Con en ional and po en ial cos s a e p i a e cos s equi ed by he en i y, di ec ly
a ec ing i s inancial esul s.
Social cos s a e associa ed wi h he impac o economic ac i i y on he en i onmen and a e
o en called “ex e nal cos s”. Social cos s include en i onmen al deg ada ion o which he
company is no legally esponsible and he nega i e impac s on he exis ence o indi iduals, hei
p ope ies and hei illness, which can no be compensa ed h ough he legal sys em.
E ec i e en i onmen al cos s and he impu ed ones can be classi ied in o he ollowing
ca ego ies:
a) cos s o exhaus ion, which e e s o he quan i a i e exhaus ion o na u al esou ces;
b) cos s o deg ada ion, de e io a ing quali y o en i onmen conce ns. This can include
damage o ecosys ems, economic ac i i ies o discha ges consequence esidue in na u e. Thus, he
ac ual cos o es o a ion can con ibu e o educing cos s o deg ada ion p io o cu en .
The objec i e o he en i onmen al accoun ing sys em is o moni o he changes in he
en i onmen in connec ion wi h he economic ac i i y, and i s aim is o be a basis o in eg a ed
en i onmen al and economic policies.
Repo ing en i onmen al asse s, acco ding o s anda ds, should be made in he ca ego y o
angible (ins alla ions, an i-pollu ion il e s, ea men plan s) o in angible (en i onmen al pe mi s
and ce i ica es, de elopmen cos s). IASB ecommends p esen a ion in he no es o he inancial
s a emen s o in o ma ion on en i onmen al asse s such as:
 he measu emen bases in de e mining he alue accoun ing;
 g oss ca ying amoun and accumula ed dep ecia ion;
 he na u e and he e ec o change in an accoun ing es ima e o he cos s o disman ling
and ebuilding he si e, use ul li es, dep ecia ion me hods.
C
CE
ES
S
W
Wo
o
k
ki
in
ng
g
P
Pa
ap
pe
e
s
s,
,
I
IV
V,
,
(
(1
1)
),
,
2
20
01
12
2
106
En i onmen al liabili ies a e hose obliga ions in ol ing u u e paymen s due o pas e en s o
compensa ion o a hi d pa y ha med by en i onmen al damage done by en i y. These liabili ies
may be commi ed in he inancial s a emen s, om legal obliga ions ( ehabili a ion o land) o
con ac ual a angemen s (secu i y en i onmen ). Accoun ing ea men is he same as o o he
liabili ies o he company. En i onmen al liabili ies can be e en po en ial, which di e by he
unce ain y o u u e paymen s and may be called p obable when he e is a legal en i y o when
managemen wan s o p e en , educe o epai en i onmen al impac .
The inancial s a emen s shall be accoun ed o any en i onmen al objec i es esul ing in
ope a ions in ol ing o he pa ies o ain cu en and u u e inancial obliga ions, known and
es imable. En i onmen al asse s and liabili ies a e usually in eg a ed in o accoun ing pos s, legal
ules do no equi e sepa a e p esen a ion, excep o hose i ems o be e lec ed sepa a ely in he
no es.
Fines expenses a e excluded om en i onmen al cos s because, e en i hey a e ela ed o
impac o he en i onmen , do no p e en , do no educe, and do no emedy he damage caused.
Regis a ion in accoun ing o en i onmen al cos s is done in associa ion wi h o he
pa iomonial elemen s, depending on how hese cos s appea o a e alloca ed.
3. ROMANIAN ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONALS TO THE NEW CHALLENGE
P e iously, he cos s associa ed wi h en i onmen al pe o mance we e ela i ely low.
Nowadays, en i onmen al cos s a e in oduced in many coun ies in esponse o inc easing
p essu es on he en i onmen .
Valo isa ions o na u al capi al in na ional accoun ing is a known disag emen , due o
economic and en i onmen al app oaches, ha conside he ollowing:
 na ional accoun ing shows ma ke ansac ions, he na u al en i onmen being a
phenomenon o non-ma ke ;
 na ional accoun ing conce ns only cash lows and na u al en i onmen he physical ones;
 na ional accoun ing is conce ned on he cu en e en s and na u al en i onmen analyzes
he long- e m e ec s.
G een indica o s a e also ega ded wi h doub s, especially g een GDP, his being a p ima y
ac o in classical accoun ing. A gumen s agains a g een GDP:
 i s modi ica ion acco ding o he pollu ion and na u al deg ada ion can a ec he cohe en
use ulness o SNA in analyzing mone a y economy, wi hou he ce ain y o ele an esul s;
C
CE
ES
S
W
Wo
o
k
ki
in
ng
g
P
Pa
ap
pe
e
s
s,
,
I
IV
V,
,
(
(1
1)
),
,
2
20
01
12
2
107
 a mone a y alo isa ion o a na u al damage is di icul ;
 amended GDP ha aims o e lec he en i onmen al ac o s, would no be ep esen a i e
in all aspec s o economic de elopmen .
In ecen yea s, Romania has exp essed an in e es in he en i onmen al pe o mance o
o ganiza ions, especially p i a e sec o companies. This in e es is bo h o he in e nal, as well as
o ex e nal use s, such as en i onmen al o ganiza ions, go e nmen , local communi ies,
sha eholde s, in es o s, cus ome s, supplie s.
These p essu es implemen ed wi hin he company policies can ake a ious o ms, such as:
 la ge companies eques hei supplie s compliance wi h EMS s anda ds (En i onmen al
Managemen Sys em), issued by ISO (In e na ional S anda diza ion O ganiza ion);
 eco ding he en i onmen al pe o mance o en i ies in he inancial s a emen s o
olun a y epo ing;
 inc easing he social esponsibili y in in es men ;
 S a e con ol ( egula ions on using haza dous subs ances in elec ical and elec onic
equipmen sold in Eu opean coun ies);
 applying en i onmen al cha ges.
Rules go e ning hese issues a o an in e na ionaliza ion o addi ional a iable
en i onmen al cos s. Cos s mus be known by companies so ha hey mee he en i onmen al ules,
o comply wi h he cos o educing pollu ion and con ol equipmen , emission ees and necessa y
documen s and epo s. En i ies need o unde s and he po en ial mone a y ewa ds gained by
implemen ing en i onmen al pe o mance, he p o essional accoun an s ha ing an impo an ole in
his ac i i y. They can in luence managemen decisions, may p opose he implemen a ion o
economic policies ha ake in o accoun he en i onmen al p o ec ion om he use o damage o
na u al esou ces. The a ge o economic ac i i ies should aim o educe cos s and was e, bo h
na u al and mone a y esou ces.
Implemen a ion o en i onmen al pe o mance in la ge companies has led o he iden i ica ion
o p oduc s and se ices necessa y o he en y o g een business, he possibili y o adap ing o
en i onmen al ules changes and keeping good ela ions wi h dono s, local communi ies e c.
The o ganiza ion ha e ec i ely moni o s en i onmen al p essu es, being conce ned wi h
associa ed cos s and bene i s, equi es di e en ypes o expe ise: echnical, en i onmen al,
inancial-accoun ing, ma ke ing, managemen . P o essional accoun an s ha e again a special
con ibu ion, because hey ha e access o in e nal in o ma ion, can check he quali y le el and can
use hem o in es men decisions.