In light of current environmental and economic challenges, maximizing resource efficiency has become essential to achieving sustainable development—particularly Goal 12 (SDG 12), which focuses on responsible consumption and production. In this context, cost accounting emerges not merely as a financial control tool, but as a strategic driver for identifying areas of waste and transforming them into opportunities to improve both environmental and financial performance. From “Product Cost” to “Waste Cost” Traditionally, cost accounting focused on assigning material and labor costs to the final product. However, within the sustainability framework, it has evolved to include Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA). This approach divides costs into two categories: 1. Positive product costs: Resources successfully converted into final products. 2. Negative product costs (waste): Costs of materials, energy, and labor associated with waste and emissions. By measuring these “negative costs,” cost accounting provides management with clear insight into the economic losses hidden behind environmental damage. Mechanisms for Managing Waste to Promote Sustainability Cost accounting contributes to sustainable development through several key aspects: * Identifying hidden waste: Tools such as Activity-Based Costing (ABC) help uncover costs related to waste processing and storage, encouraging management to adopt cleaner production technologies at the source. * Supporting decision-making: Provides accurate data to evaluate alternatives, such as continuing waste disposal versus investing in recycling technologies—supporting the concept of a circular economy. * Improving operational efficiency: By analyzing variances between actual and standard resource consumption, reducing unnecessary depletion of natural resources. Supporting Global Goals and Vision 2030 The role of cost accounting in managing waste aligns directly with Vision 2030 objectives by contributing to: 1. Enhancing spending efficiency: Through reducing waste in industrial and service operations. 2. Environmental protection: By lowering the volume of waste sent to landfills, thus reducing carbon emissions. 3. Competitiveness: Companies that effectively manage waste costs gain stronger price competitiveness and better compliance with international sustainability standards.