From January 21 to 24, 2025, Tom Seidenstein, IAASB Chair and Josephine Jackson, IAASB Vice-Chair visited Japan. Tetsuya Mogi, JICPA Chairman and President and Takako Fujimoto, JICPA Deputy President interviewed with Mr. Seidenstein and Ms. Jackson.

Mr. Mogi, JICPA Chairman and President: Firstly, I would like to talk about International Standard on Sustainability Assurance 5000 "General Requirements for Sustainability Assurance Engagements" (ISSA 5000), which was published in November 2024. We believe the publication of ISSA 5000 is a great milestone for the IAASB as well as for stakeholders across the globe. Tom, could you please briefly introduce the key features of ISSA 5000?

Continue reading the article on the JICPA website in English or Japanese.

By connecting and uniting its members, IFAC makes the accountancy profession truly global.

Our advisory groups play a vital role in connecting the global accountancy profession by bringing together diverse expertise and perspectives from our membership and leading accounting and finance professionals. By fostering collaboration and innovation, these groups help us shape the future of the profession, ensuring it remains globally connected and committed to serving the public interest. They also help us provide value back to our membership by working with us to develop tools and resources that address trending challenges and opportunities.  

• The International Panel on Accountancy Education supports the advancement of accountancy education at the global level.  
• The Professional Accountancy Organization Development and Advisory Group helps support strong, sustainable professional accountancy organizations.  
• The Professional Accountants in Business Advisory Group considers key global trends in the context of the issues facing chief financial officers and finance functions, as well as boards and their audit committees. 
• The Small and Medium Practices Advisory Group provides input to the independent standard-setting boards, develops practical guidance and resources, and promotes the visibility and recognition of SMPs and SMEs.  

We extend a very warm welcome to all our new advisory group members and express our sincere gratitude and farewells to departing members, listed below, for volunteering their time to strengthen our profession.  

Lee White, IFAC Chief Executive Officer said: “We are thrilled to welcome these distinguished professionals to our advisory groups. Their expertise and dedication will enhance our efforts to strengthen global collaboration and support the profession in meeting the challenges and opportunities of today’s rapidly changing world. Thank you to our outgoing members for generously sharing your time and insights with us—we invite you to stay connected and continue to be part of our collective voice shaping the future of the accountancy profession.” 

International Panel on Accountancy Education  

New Members 

• Jennifer Eberman, Director, Assurance and Financial Reporting, Global Audit and Assurance Learning | Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (Canada) 
• Maria Escobar, Dean of the Faculty of Public Accounting, Universidad Externado de Colombia | Instituto Nacional de Contadores Públicos de Colombia (INCP) (Colombia) 
• Geoffrey Injeni, Faculty and Leadership/Management Consultant, Strathmore University Business School | Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) (Kenya) 
• Manil Jayesinghe, Board Member, Securities & Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka | Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (ICASL) (Sri Lanka) 
• Mirela Paunescu, Associate Professor, Bucharest University of Economic Studies | Corpul Expertilor Contabili si Contabililor Autorizati din Romania (CECCAR) (Romania) 
• Qi Zhang, Professor, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law | Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA) (China) 

Departing Members 

• Adriana Florina Popa, Professor, Academia de Studii Economice din București | CECCAR (Romania) 
• Chaaminda Kumarasiri, Chairman, ACCA Sri Lanka | ICASL (Sri Lanka) 
• Gabriela-María Farías-Martínez, Associate Dean of Faculty Development, School of Business, Tecnológico de Monterrey | Instituto Mexicano de Contadores Públicos (IMCP) (Mexico) 
• Greg Owens, Director, Global Assurance, BDO Global | BDO Global (United Kingdom) 
• Innocent Okwuosa, Chief Executive Officer, Entop Consulting Ltd | Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (Nigeria) 
• Stacy-Ann Golding, Managing Director, S.N. Golding Financial Services Limited | Institute of Chartered Accountants of Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad and Tobago) 
• Thorben Ehrlich, Global Audit & Assurance Chief Learning Officer, Deloitte | Deloitte (Germany) 
• Yoke Kai Chan, Head, Accountancy at Sim University | Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (Singapore) 

Professional Accountancy Organization Development and Advisory Group  

New Members 

• Kate Holroyd-Smith, Director of International Development, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) | ICAEW (United Kingdom) 
• Brett Maloney, Chief Operating Officer, Institute of Public Accountants (IPA) | IPA (Australia) 
• Verily Kearoma Molatedi, Chief Executive Officer, Botswana Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) | BICA (Botswana) 
• Luisa Salcedo, Chief Executive Officer, INCP | INCP (Colombia) 
• Jingshi Wang, Deputy Director of Research and Development, CICPA | CICPA (China) 

Departing Member 

• Andrew Conway, Chief Executive Officer, IPA | IPA (Australia) 

Professional Accountants in Business Advisory Group  

New Members 

• Lei Chen, Executive Vice President & Board Director, State Grid Overseas Investment Limited | CICPA (China) 
• Zekeriya Demir, Chief Financial Officer, Turkish Technic Inc | Union of Chambers of Certified Public Accountants Turkey (TÜRMOB) (Türkiye) 
• Lynda Gimena Estupiñán Peñaloza, Accounting Director - Americas (NA & LATAM) Region, Medtronic Shared Services Americas SAS | INCP (Colombia) 
• Ashish Thatte, Partner, Joshi Apte and Associates Firm of Cost and Management Accountants | Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) (India) 

Departing Members 

• Zia ul Mustafa Awan, President, House of Professionals Inc.| Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan (Pakistan) 
• Anastasija Boljević, Secretary General, Institute of Certified Accountants of Montenegro (ICAM) | ICAM (Montenegro) 
• Ibrahim Murat Çağlar, Chief Financial Officer, Sanovel Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. | TÜRMOB (Türkiye) 
• Ruth Gardiner-Forbes, President and Chief Executive Officer, FortisTCI | Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) (Turks and Caicos Islands) 
• Maria del Dado Alonso Sanchez, CFO, Berlin Brands Group | IMA (Spain) 

Small and Medium Practices Advisory Group  

New Members 

• Eleni Ashioti, Head of Technical and Professional Matters, The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC) | ICPAC (Cyprus) 
• Rogelio Avalos, Director of Risk and Quality, Baker Tilly Mexico | IMCP (Mexico) 
• Hans Raj Chugh, Managing Partner, ASHM & Associates | The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) (India) 
• Catherine Hardinge, Compliance Partner, Price Bailey LLP | ICAEW (United Kingdom) 
• Mohanad Taha Khaled, Managing Partner, BDO Egypt | ACCA (UK/Egypt) 
• Kelly Khalilieh, Partner, Professional Standards & Quality Managment, McGovern Hurley LLP | CPA Canada (Canada) 
• George Mokua, Managing Partner, Mokua Onwonga & Co | ICPAK (Kenya) 
• Chongwon Yoon, Director, Grant Thornton Daejoo | Korean Institute of Certified Public Accountants (KICPA) (South Korea) 

Departing Members 

• Alexandra Peñuela Cuesto, Partner, KPMG Colombia | INCP (Colombia)
• John Nagy, Director, Reid Hurst Nagy Inc. | CPA Canada (Canada)
• Yunjin Oh | KICPA (South Korea)
• Alex Peal, Partner and Joint Managing Partner, James Cowper Kreston | Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (United Kingdom)
• Rajesh Sharma, Partner, RPA Associates | ICAI (India) 

About IFAC  

IFAC, by connecting and uniting its members, makes the accountancy profession truly global.  

IFAC member organizations are champions of integrity and professional quality, and proudly carry their membership as a badge of international recognition.  

IFAC and its members work together to shape the future of the profession through learning, innovation, a collective voice, and commitment to the public interest.  

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) and the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) today launched an integrated effort to support effective implementation of their landmark standards aimed at advancing trust and transparency in sustainability reporting and assurance.

Taken together, the IAASB and IESBA sustainability-related standards, as well as the new IESBA standard on using the work of experts, provide a unified global approach to address the growing demand for trustworthy sustainability information to support stakeholder decisions.

These standards establish clear expectations for ethical behavior in sustainability reporting and assurance and provide more specific requirements for practitioners and organizations in relation to assurance engagements on sustainability information. The IAASB’s ISSA 5000 and the IESBA’s IESSA share five common goals:

• Equipping global markets with a cohesive package of standards. After robust and close coordination, the IAASB and IESBA developed comprehensive, interoperable global standards for assurance, ethics, and independence for sustainability assurance engagements.
• Offering a global baseline and leveling the playing field by meeting market demands and regulatory calls and expectations for profession-agnostic global standards.
• Providing a framework-neutral approach that allows ISSA 5000 and IESSA to be applied in relation to sustainability information prepared under any suitable sustainability reporting framework.
• Promoting informed decision-making based on trust and independently assured sustainability information.
• Mitigating risks of fraud, including greenwashing, and non-compliance with laws and regulations.

A Unified Vision for Sustainability Reporting

“The interoperable package of ISSA 5000 and IESSA represents an important evolution in global sustainability reporting and assurance,” said Tom Seidenstein, Chair of the IAASB. “These standards establish the necessary technical and ethical pillars to ensure that qualified practitioners could consistently perform high-quality assurance engagements on sustainability information.”

Gabriela Figueiredo Dias, Chair of the IESBA, added, “Ethics is the foundation of trust. With these standards, we are equipping preparers and practitioners with the tools needed to uphold integrity and foster transparency in sustainability reporting. Together, the IAASB and IESBA are setting a global standard for accountability and professionalism.”

Effective Dates and Next Steps

In jurisdictions adopting the standards, both ISSA 5000 and IESSA become effective for periods starting on or after December 15, 2026, with early adoption permitted and encouraged. The IAASB and IESBA will provide ongoing support through webinars, implementation guidance, and continued implementation monitoring and feedback channels to ensure smooth and effective adoption.

Stay updated by following IAASB and IESBA on LinkedIn or registering and subscribing to receive announcements directly in your inbox. For more information, visit the joint IAASB and IESBA web page: www.ethicsandaudit.org/TrustInSustainability

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

IAASB’s ISSA 5000: A Framework for Credible Sustainability Assurance

International Standard on Sustainability Assurance 5000 (ISSA 5000) provides a principles-based framework for conducting assurance engagements on sustainability information reported by entities. The standard is designed to:

• Enhance Reliability and Transparency: Focused on enhancing the credibility of sustainability information reported, ISSA 5000 addresses the growing need for assured sustainability information among investors, regulators, and stakeholders.
• Adapt to Global and Local Contexts: The standard is scalable and adaptable to regional regulatory requirements, such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and can be used with any sustainability reporting framework, standard or other suitable criteria.
• Support Diverse Practitioners: Applicable to all assurance providers, ISSA 5000 ensures consistency and rigor, incorporating materiality concepts and proportionality for organizations of all sizes.

To support practitioners, the IAASB has released new guidance today, including an implementation guide, fact sheet, FAQs, and FAQ video series, and will hold a webinar series in the coming months.

IESBA’s Global Ethics Sustainability Standards: A Foundation for Ethical Mindset and Trust

The International Ethics Standards for Sustainability Assurance (including International Independence Standards (IESSA), the provisions related to sustainability reporting, and the new standards addressing using the work of an external expert in the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards), establish a strong ethical foundation for sustainability reporting and assurance engagements. The standards are grounded in the fundamental ethical principles for reporting and assurance that underpin the provision of high-quality sustainability information by:

• Offering a coherent ethical infrastructure for sustainability reporting and assurance that is fit-for-purpose. The standards specifically address challenges inherent to sustainability information, such as the use of immature data and systems, and the forward-looking nature of the information.
• Mitigating unethical conduct, including greenwashing risks, particularly by raising awareness of ethical threats and helping practitioners address challenges such as: non-compliance with laws and regulations^TM (NOCLAR^®); pressure to act unethically; independence issues; and ethical risks relating to using the work of external experts.
• Enhancing investor protection and building trust in sustainability information by aligning best ethical practices among all practitioners.
• Promoting judgments and decision-making that help prevent reputational risks, foster an ethical mindset, and attract skilled and purpose-driven professionals.

Alongside today’s published standards, the IESBA has released Basis for Conclusions documents, fact sheets and technical overviews on the standards. Additional implementation support material and activities, including a series of webinars (see below) and implementation guides, will follow in the near future.

Upcoming IESBA Webinars 

To help stakeholders understand and use the new standards, the IESBA is holding a series of webinars at various times to accommodate a global audience. 

• IESBA Sustainability-related Ethics and Independence Standards 
  • IESBA Sustainability Overview and Sustainability Reporting 
    • February 18 at 14.00 UTC (9.00am ET)
    • February 26 at 01.00 UTC (8.00pm ET February 25)
  • Key Topics in the IESSA 
    • February 19 at 14.00 UTC (9.00am ET)
    • February 27 at 00.00 UTC (7.00pm ET February 26)
  • IESSA Independence Standards: A Deep Dive 
    • February 20 at 13.00 UTC (8.00am ET)
    • February 28 at 00.00 UTC (7.00pm February 27)
• Using the Work of an External Expert
  • March 3 at 23.00 UTC (6.00pm ET) 
  • March 4 at 13.00 UTC (8.00am ET) 

About IAASB and IESBA
The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board and the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants are part of the International Foundation for Ethics and Audit (IFEA), a nonprofit organization that supports high-quality, international ethics, audit, and assurance standards in the public interest. The IAASB and IESBA develop and issue their standards independently and in accordance with an approved due process and the Public Interest Framework, overseen by the Public Interest Oversight Board.

The IAASB develops auditing, assurance, related services, and quality management standards and guidance in the public interest that support consistent performance of quality engagements.

The IESBA is an independent global standard-setting board. The IESBA’s mission is to serve the public interest by setting high-quality, international ethics (including independence) standards as a cornerstone to ethical behavior in business and organizations, and to public trust in financial and non-financial information that is fundamental to the proper functioning and sustainability of organizations, financial markets and economies worldwide.

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The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) welcomes the Public Interest Oversight Board’s (PIOB) important decision to certify its Global Ethics Sustainability Standards and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Statement of Support calling on its members to apply or be informed by the new framework. 

The Global Ethics Sustainability Standards include the International Ethics Standards for Sustainability Assurance (including International Independence Standards) (IESSA) and the revisions to the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards) (the Code) related to sustainability reporting and to the use of the work of an external expert.

Reacting to the PIOB’s Certification and IOSCO’s Statement of Support, Gabriela Figueiredo Dias, Chair of IESBA said:

“The certification of IESBA’s new ethics standards framework for Sustainability and Experts, along with IOSCO's call for its members to adopt or be informed by the framework, marks a significant step to cement ethics as the foundation of trust and accountability in sustainability reporting and assurance. The global sustainability standards infrastructure is now complete, with the ethics piece providing foundational instruments to underpin transparent, relevant and trustworthy sustainability information. Looking forward to the joint launch with IAASB of the new ethics and assurance standards. Join us on 27 January.”

These landmark new standards provide a robust ethical framework for reporting and assuring sustainability-related information that promotes high quality, reliable information for decision-making by investors, lenders, customers, suppliers, government, regulators and other stakeholders.  

The IESSA and related revisions to the Code, including regarding using the work of an external expert, address critical risks to the integrity, quality and effectiveness of sustainability reporting and assurance such as bias, conflicts of interest, pressure to act unethically, fraud including greenwashing, non-compliance with laws and regulations, and threats to the independence of the assurance practitioners.

The final standards can be found on the IESBA’s website https://www.ethicsboard.org/standards-pronouncements.

The official launch of the new standards will take place on January 27, 2025, jointly with the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s (IAASB) International Standard on Sustainability Assurance 5000 (ISSA 5000). After robust and close coordination, the IESBA and IAASB developed comprehensive, interoperable global standards for assurance, ethics, and independence for sustainability assurance engagements.           

On January 1, 2025, the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) welcomed two new members following their appointments by the Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB) in November 2024.

• Nancy Miller (USA), Managing Director in Risk Management - Audit and Independence, KPMG - “The opportunity to collaborate with a diverse group of accomplished professionals, to continue IESBA’s mission, is a unique and important role that I am honored to hold. I hope to bring my background, working in both very small and very large accounting firms, to support strong international ethics standards that fulfill obligations to comply with the underlying principles while drafting standards that are clear, operationally sound and can be consistently applied.” 
• Obichukwu Nwazota (Nigeria), Managing Consultant, UGN Consulting Services Ltd - “Accountants are profoundly essential to a sustainable economic future, providing financial and non-financial insights that drive decision-making across diverse sectors and levels, with far-reaching local and global impacts. To maintain the public trust and proper functioning of economies, high-quality ethical standards for accountants are critical. It is a great privilege to join the IESBA and contribute to the enhancement of its high-quality ethical standards and strengthening their implementation globally in the public interest.”

The IESBA also welcomed the appointment of Channa Wijesinghe FCPA (Australia) as the Board’s Vice Chair. Channa, the CEO of the Australian Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board (APESB), joined the Board in 2022. In addition to Channa, Mark Babington (United Kingdom), Christelle Martin (France), and Rich Huesken (USA) were all reappointed to the Board.

"It is my pleasure to welcome Nancy and Obichukwu to the IESBA. I also want to thank Channa for accepting the important role of Vice-Chair and congratulate him on his appointment, as well as Mark, Christelle, and Rich on their reappointments," said IESBA Chair Gabriela Figueiredo Dias, who added: "As we take on critical issues of global importance—such as ethics in sustainability reporting and assurance, accounting firm culture and governance, and expanding the scope of the Code—having a mix of new perspectives and experienced voices is essential. Nancy and Obichukwu bring fresh insights and expertise, while Channa’s leadership as Vice Chair, along with the deep knowledge of our returning members, provides continuity and strength to the Board. Together, this dynamic group will help us achieve our ambitious goals and continue to lead with ethics to make a meaningful impact in the public interest. I am looking forward to working with them over the next term.”

The PIOB’s Invitation for Applications for IESBA members for terms of service beginning in January 2026 will be open in February. The IESBA encourages qualified candidates to apply.

The International Standards: 2024 Global Adoption Status Snapshot highlights how widely international standards are embraced across IFAC member jurisdictions. Since the inaugural 2019 report, we continue to see notable progress in adoption of the international standards as well as enhancing quality assurance and investigation & discipline systems. The 2024 update highlights a selection of success stories from IFAC members. It also identifies the conditions that help advance adoption and implementation, as well as more opportunities for further collaboration and connected learning.

This progress is made possible by the steadfast commitment of IFAC member organizations to the requirements outlined in the Statements of Membership Obligations (SMOs). By proudly carrying their IFAC membership as a badge of international recognition and working with IFAC to publish their adoption & implementation actions on IFAC’s International Standards Adoption Map, these organizations reinforce their dedication to integrity and professional quality, and to shape the future of the profession through their commitment to the public interest.

Access the 2024 Global Adoption Status Snapshot

About IFAC

IFAC, by connecting and uniting its members, makes the accountancy profession truly global.

IFAC member organizations are champions of integrity and professional quality, and proudly carry their membership as a badge of international recognition.

IFAC and its members work together to shape the future of the profession through learning, innovation, a collective voice, and commitment to the public interest.

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) launched a standard-setting project on accounting firm culture and governance, actioning the recommendations of the Working Group on Firm Culture and Governance in its fact-finding report, which was released today.

Key findings of the report include:

• The role of ethical leadership and robust governance within accounting firms as key drivers in creating a culture that promotes ethical behavior.
• The importance of transparent and ethical leadership, firm-wide accountability mechanisms and the provision of independent input.
• The need for alignment of performance incentives with ethical behavior, continuous ethics education, and a culture of open discussion and challenge.  

Taking into consideration the Working Group’s conclusions and recommendations, the standard-setting project aims to develop a principles-based culture and governance framework for accounting firms that promotes, supports and reinforces a high standard of ethical behavior across all their professional services.

As part of this strategic initiative, the IESBA will also develop non-authoritative materials to raise awareness about the importance of ethical behavior in accounting firms and support firms with guidance on embedding ethics into their strategies and operations. These will also help involve other stakeholders who might contribute to developing an ecosystem for highly ethical accounting firms.

The IESBA will conduct a series of in-person and virtual global roundtables in March and April 2025 to gather views from a broad range of stakeholders. The in-person roundtables will be held in New York City, USA; Melbourne, Australia; Brussels, Belgium; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Further details will be announced in due course.

Gabriela Figueiredo Dias, Chair of the IESBA, said, “Ethics is foundational to the work of all accounting firms and all the professionals therein. It is their gateway to public trust in their professional services. I commend the Working Group on tabling a comprehensive report, identifying the key areas of focus we will be probing carefully and systematically, in collaboration with stakeholders, as we seek to develop a global framework for culture and governance for firms. It is our strong conviction that this framework will enable firms to be highly ethical firms consistently, strengthening their resilience against risks of unethical behavior, maintaining a good reputation, and ensuring their long-term sustainability to serve clients, investors, other stakeholders, and the public interest.”

Established in March 2024, the Working Group’s charge included, among other matters, gathering an understanding of culture and governance and their impact on compliance with ethical requirements in accounting firms and, where applicable, their networks and developing recommendations for the IESBA.

The development of the report was informed by extensive outreach to stakeholders, including regulators and oversight bodies, investors and the corporate governance community, accounting firms, professional accountancy organizations, national standard setters, and the Stakeholder Advisory Council, as well as a review of academic literature.

The topic of accounting firm culture and governance is a strategic priority for the IESBA following a spate of high-profile cases of unethical behavior in accounting firms in several jurisdictions in recent years. These cases have led to adverse consequences for individual professional accountants and their firms in multiple jurisdictions. 

About IESBA

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) is an independent global standard-setting board. The IESBA’s mission is to serve the public interest by setting high-quality, international ethics (including independence) standards as a cornerstone to ethical behavior in business and organizations, and to public trust in financial and non-financial information that is fundamental to the proper functioning and sustainability of organizations, financial markets and economies worldwide.

Along with the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, the IESBA is part of the International Foundation for Ethics and Audit. The Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB) oversees IESBA and IAASB activities and the public interest responsiveness of the standards.

On behalf of the IAASB, Happy New Year to all. The IAASB closed out a productive 2024 by approving ISA 570 (Revised), Going Concern closely following the September 2024 approval of ISSA 5000, General Requirements for Sustainability Assurance Engagements. It is natural for our stakeholders to want to know what the IAASB plans to do in 2025. Our strategy document, Elevating Trust in Audit and Assurance, provides clear guidance.

For 2025, from a standard-setting standpoint, we are translating the strategy into three leading tasks:

1. Finish what we have started.
2. Give the market time and support to ensure high-quality implementation.
3. Increase our focus on technology to enhance audit and assurance quality.

Finish what we have started. By the end of the first half of 2025, the IAASB will complete its projects on Fraud and the second phase of our IESBA convergence work on Listed and Public Interest Entities. The IAASB intends to approve revisions to the Fraud standard in March and will undertake a consultation and outreach on Listed and Public Entities in Q1 to permit June 2025 approval. With the finalization of these projects, an important phase of our 2024-2027 work plan ends.

Give the market time and support to ensure high-quality implementation. In recent years, IAASB major initiatives included ISA 315 (Revised 2019), the quality management suite of standards (ISQMs 1 and 2, and ISA 220 (Revised), group audits (ISA 600 (Revised), the ISA for Audits of Financial Statements of Less Complex Entities, ISSA 5000, and going concern (ISA 570 (Revised 2024). With the addition of the standards we anticipate finalizing in the first half of 2025, our focus will turn to supporting implementation of these standards, allowing time for their effective adoption, and beginning to assess their effectiveness through post-implementation reviews. For example, jointly with IESBA, we will be launching comprehensive implementation support plans for our sustainability standards at the end of January.

Increase our focus on technology to enhance audit and assurance quality. As our work plan transitions, there will necessarily be a period of calm in terms of new standards coming into effect.  However, we will not slow our work on key public interest topics. In September, the IAASB approved a new Technology Position and “committed to actively facilitating and, where appropriate, encouraging the appropriate use of technology.” While technology is not the sole driver, a dedicated focus on technology will be a priority over the next three years. Our recent project proposal to revise our Audit Evidence and Risk Response standards, scheduled to be completed in early 2027, highlights this commitment. We will be updating our project timelines shortly to reflect the technology priority.

The IAASB has emphasized the value of stakeholder engagement and has deepened outreach over recent years. As we pursue the three actions above, expect this level of outreach to continue.

It is with profound sadness that IFEA announces the passing of Imran Vanker, a valued member of the IFEA family. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends following the tragic and sudden loss of Imran and his daughter yesterday. Our hearts go out to their loved ones during this unimaginable time.

Imran was a member of the IAASB from 2016 to 2021 and, through his work at the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA) in South Africa, remained an esteemed colleague and member of the IAASB community. His passing, alongside that of his daughter, leaves an irreplaceable void.

Imran was a staunch supporter of IESBA, actively participating as a member of the IESBA-National Standard Setters liaison group. His commitment to ethical behavior was demonstrated through his inspiration and significant contributions during his years of service. 

“Imran will be remembered not only for his many contributions to the audit profession but also for the warmth and goodwill he brought to all IAASB discussions. Imran had a passion for serving the public interest, one that will be hard to replicate,” said Tom Seidenstein, IAASB Chair.

‘’Imran was a friend of the IESBA and a passionate advocate for ethics and integrity in the accounting profession. Imran’s legacy of ethical leadership will continue to guide us, and his memory will remain a source of inspiration for all who strive to uphold the highest standards in our work,” said Gabriela Figueiredo Dias, IESBA Chair.

As an organization, we share in the sorrow of this loss and are keeping the Vanker family in our thoughts. We will continue to honor their memory during this difficult time.

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) congratulates Professor Jens Poll on his appointment as President of Accountancy Europe for the 2025-2026 term and Giancarlo Attolini as Deputy President. Both Jens Poll and Giancarlo Attolini bring a wealth of expertise and experience to their new roles.

Lee White, CEO of IFAC, commented: “I warmly congratulate Jens Poll on becoming President of Accountancy Europe. Jens’ longstanding commitment to the profession, including as Accountancy Europe Deputy President, as well as his time as a member of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA), as Vice Chair of the IFAC Small and Medium Practices Committee and as Chair of the European Group of International Accounting Networks and Associations (EGIAN), demonstrate his dedication to upholding and advancing high-quality global ethical standards, and to the profession’s future. His guidance will undoubtedly help steer Accountancy Europe through a period of critical transformation, addressing challenges and opportunities that shape our profession globally.”

Welcoming Giancarlo Attolini, Lee White added: “We are equally pleased to see Giancarlo Attolini take on the role of Accountancy Europe Deputy President. Having contributed significantly as an Accountancy Europe Board member since 2023, Giancarlo brings extremely valuable leadership that will strengthen Accountancy Europe’s mission. In addition, as past Chair of the IFAC Small and Medium Practices Committee and founding partner of Attolini Spaggiari & Associati Studio Legale e Tributario, Giancarlo has been a steadfast advocate for the needs of small and medium-sized practices and has played a pivotal role in promoting practices transformation.”

Lee White emphasized: “Jens’ and Giancarlo’s deep involvement with IFAC underlines their leadership and vision for the global profession. Their new roles will only enhance the already strong collaboration between IFAC and Accountancy Europe as we continue working together towards our shared goals of transparency and accountability, as well as of sustainability and digital transformations, in the public interest.”

IFAC also extends a warm welcome to Eelco van der Enden as the new Chief Executive Officer of Accountancy Europe. Lee White shared: “I am delighted to see Eelco assume this role. His extensive experience and proven leadership will be pivotal in guiding Accountancy Europe into a new chapter and I look forward to collaborating with him and the Accountancy Europe team.”

Finally, Lee White congratulates Mark Vaessen on his leadership as Accountancy Europe President for 2023-2024, and in particular for overseeing the successful CEO transition from Olivier Boutellis-Taft to Eelco van der Enden. Mark will continue to serve the global accountancy profession, having been appointed to the IFAC Board in November 2024.

Accountancy Europe and IFAC share a deep commitment to supporting the profession, and fostering high-quality standards and practices that build trust in organizations, drive innovation, and advance sustainability, while ensuring investor and consumer protection.

About IFAC
IFAC, by connecting and uniting its members, makes the accountancy profession truly global.

IFAC member organizations are champions of integrity and professional quality, and proudly carry their membership as a badge of international recognition.

IFAC and its members work together to shape the future of the profession through learning, innovation, a collective voice, and commitment to the public interest.