Meet The Chief Financial Officer Turning Denim into a Force for Good
In Partnership with Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand.
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Words by Harry Webber December 6, 2024

Cayley Haig CA shows another side of a career in accounting – one that has the power to change the world.

If you think accounting, fashion and environmentalism have nothing in common, you’ve clearly never met Cayley Haig CA. As Chief Financial Officer for the Maeka Group – the team behind Outland Denim, Nobody Denim, and Maeka Manufacturing – Cayley is equal parts number-wizard and change-maker.

Speaking to Life Without Andy, Cayley shares her mission to tackle modern slavery and textile waste, and ‘Make Epic Things Happen’ through a financial role that goes far beyond what you’d expect. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nUC16JAnvc

From forensics to fashion 

Cayley’s journey into the fashion world wasn’t exactly linear. “I started out in forensic accounting,” she recalls. Then, after years of tax and business advisory, she joined the Maeka Group, where she found a way to use her accounting skills for good. 

“I consider myself really fortunate to have ended up in this role, because it’s allowed me to take the skills that I’ve developed through accounting and apply it in a way that aligns with my passions and values, which is looking after people and the planet around us.”

“Working in fashion, you’re always looking 18 months ahead,” she says. It’s a wild shift from the perception that accounting mostly deals with historical numbers and data. 

In contrast, Cayley adds: “It’s quite fun to be working a lot more in the forecast space, working with product teams, working with the designers, working with marketing and sales to really plan out what the future looks like.” 

Numbers, but make them ethical

While fun, the job also requires Cayley to balance her day-to-day tasks with larger scale industry challenges. “Fashion is the second biggest contributor to modern slavery in the world,” she says, cutting right to the chase. It’s a confronting truth, made worse by significant environmental damage. 

“About 800,000 tons of textile waste go to landfill every year,” she explains. “Textile waste from fashion is a big issue in Australia.”

That’s why her team is committed to solutions that address these problems. “We saw a great need in Cambodia. It’s a country that already has a lot of manufacturing, but people not being paid fair wages is a big issue throughout the fashion industry.” 

Outland Denim tackles these challenges head-on, from sourcing cotton to sewing the final stitches, every part of the brand’s denim process goes beyond meeting minimum standards for ethical production.  

“We pay a living wage – what it takes to live in the area they live in – and make sure they can support their family, have access to medical care, and get the things they need like training and education.” 

Creating change

For Cayley, the biggest reward is seeing the impact of her work up close. “Whenever I go to Cambodia, that just really reignites my passion,” she shares. “Seeing what we’ve been able to do over there to help improve their lives.” 

Accounting has been the foundation for her career, and Cayley believes it’s a skill that can be so much more than just numbers.

“Everything in our world is driven by money. Accounting is a skill set that really helps you understand the story that’s happening for a business,” she says. “Being able to translate that knowledge and financial literacy to your team is impactful and helps make sure that decisions are being made well.”

Ultimately, her goal for the Maeka Group and the fashion industry is bold: “We’re not just creating clothes – we’re creating change.” And at the core, she’s using accounting to do it. 

Keen to make an impact? Watch Cayley’s story and see how you can Make Epic Things Happen with a career in accounting at MakeEpicThingsHappen.com. 

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