The New Controller’s Mission Statement: Controlling in a Time of Change

The International Group of Controlling (IGC) has therefore revised its Controller Mission Statement.

The key message: Controllers should no longer just provide numbers, but should actively contribute to corporate management and better decision-making.

From a provider of figures to a management partner

The Controller Mission Statement has been in place since 1995. Controllers are traditionally viewed as partners to management who support goal-setting, planning, and control.

However, the new mission statement goes further: Controllers should actively participate in decision-making processes, make recommendations, and advocate for their own positions. At the same time, they must remain independent and prioritize the best interests of the entire company over individual interests.

It is particularly important to involve them in strategic decisions at an early stage. Controllers should not wait to react until decisions have already been made, but rather contribute their expertise from the very beginning.

Long-Term Value Appreciation and Sustainability

Controllers are expected to help companies remain competitive and successful in the long term. This involves striking a balance between short-term results and long-term investments.

Furthermore, value creation is no longer understood solely in financial terms. Environmental considerations, social responsibility, and good corporate governance are gaining in importance. Sustainability should therefore become an integral part of standard controlling and decision-making processes.

Transparency and Balanced Decisions

A key task remains the creation of transparency. This involves not only financial metrics, but also a holistic view that encompasses financial and nonfinancial information, opportunities and risks, as well as operational and strategic developments.

Controllers should not only show what is happening, but also explain why it is happening and what the consequences are.

At the same time, they are expected to balance various conflicting objectives: opportunities and risks, short-term and long-term goals, agility and stability, as well as financial discipline and flexibility.

Data, AI, and New Technologies

Digitalization is a particularly important area for the future. Controllers should use modern technologies such as analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to create a better basis for decision-making.

This requires high data quality. Data controllers must therefore work with other departments within the company to ensure that data is accurate, relevant, and up-to-date.

You don’t need to become IT or AI specialists, but you should understand what technologies are available and how they can be used to improve control processes.

Continuous Improvement

The controlling processes themselves must also be regularly reviewed and modernized. New technologies, changing markets, and regulatory requirements make it necessary to continuously refine existing systems.

This includes a culture of learning and improvement: Controllers should learn from successes and mistakes, share knowledge, and constantly seek better solutions.

Conclusion

The new Controller Mission Statement describes a significant shift in the role of the controller. The controller of the future is no longer merely a provider of numbers, but rather a decision-making advisor, a management partner, a user of data and technology, and the company’s economic conscience.

Digitalization, sustainability, and growing uncertainty are making controlling more complex. The new mission statement should therefore be viewed less as a rigid checklist and more as a guide for the further development of one’s own controlling organization.

The key message is this: Modern management accounting not only explains the past, but also actively helps in making better decisions for the future.