Sandra Van Der Laan

Professor Sandra Van Der Laan is a distinguished academic at the University of Sydney's School of Business, specializing in accounting and regulatory studies. Her research focuses on social accounting, ethical investment, asbestos liabilities, and the death-care industry. She holds a Professor rank and has contributed to over 100 publications, including seminal works on corporate accountability and sustainability reporting.

Education: BCom (Accounting), MCom (Finance) from University of Wollongong; PhD from University of Sydney. Administrative roles include Associate Dean (Academic Development) and Co-Head of the Discipline of Finance. She has secured major grants, including a $700k ARC Linkage Grant on sustainability reporting with CPA Australia.

Research Interests:

• Accounting as a social discourse and accountability mechanism
• Long-tail liabilities (e.g., asbestos)
• Death-care industry economics and regulation
• Sustainability reporting and ethical investment

Media Presence: Frequently quoted in ABC News, news.com.au, and other outlets on funeral industry trends and asbestos litigation. Her work bridges historical accounting practices with modern regulatory challenges, emphasizing ethical and social dimensions.