Almost a decade after the global financial crisis, more than 50 thought leaders from across the public, private, and academic communities called for balanced regulation targeted to specific social outcomes, as well as stronger checks and balances, such as sunset clauses or impact analyses, to measure regulation’s effectiveness and fitness for purpose.

Speaking from the floor during the discussion, Fayez Choudhury, IFAC Chief Executive Officer, noted that, “There is a critical need to review and evaluate regulations on an ongoing basis, and to ensure purpose-built regulation going forward, in order to strengthen the global economy and financial system.”

The group emphasized that—while governments acted decisively and much has been achieved since the crisis—regulation alone cannot solve problems. It must be partnered with stronger corporate governance, and embedding ethics and values in organizations from the top down. These are essential to restore the public’s trust in government and both the public and private sector, which continues to be a vital goal.

“How can we ensure a duty of care to markets and society?” asked roundtable participant Baroness Sharon Bowles. “If you get corporate governance right, it can eliminate the need to regulate every eventuality—the corporate governance space is as important as the regulatory space. And the professions that advise businesses play an important role.”

The current compliance culture, participants said, has replaced responsibility and professionalism with rule-following and “box ticking.” In addition, this culture can lead to overreaction and risk aversion, stifling risk-taking that is essential for entrepreneurialism and growth.

ICAEW Chief Executive Michael Izza said, “We all agree that getting the future of regulation right is vital for the global economy. Regulation must be proportionate. We need to avoid on the one hand growing to a scale where compliance is so complex and costly it is a barrier to all but the largest firms, and on the other obsessive simplicity to the extent that it no longer protects against systemic failure. It will be important for everyone to work together and innovate to find the best solutions.”

The group noted that many responses to the financial crisis were fundamentally national and fragmented, whereas business is increasingly global. Participants called for more coordinated rules and consistent implementation, in line with calls from the G-20 and other global organizations since 2009.

Additional points of consensus from the roundtable included the importance of proportionality to protect small- and medium-sized entities—an engine of global economic growth—from over-regulation and the need for enhanced dialogue across the stakeholder spectrum.

Organized by the International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), the roundtable included senior executives and experts from regulatory agencies, financial markets, government, academia, listed companies, investment funds, and the accounting profession.

The roundtable follows a similar meeting in Hong Kong in December 2015, at which 30 senior representatives of the regulatory, government, professional, investor, business, and academic communities identified ten principles to help guide regulators toward better decisions and protect the global economy from the dangers posed by a patchwork approach to regulation. Previously, IFAC issued a discussion paper, From Crisis to Confidence: the Role of Good Regulation, which examined the impact, benefits, and costs of the current regulatory landscape, and compares internationally recognized principles of good regulation.

About IFAC
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession, dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. It is comprised of more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

Assessing and understanding the relationship between accountancy expertise and business performance is complex and requires consideration of what accountancy expertise entails, as well as the wide range of performance measures. A new research report released today by the International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) demonstrates, through a review of existing literature, the positive association between use of professional accountants for expertise and advice, and business performance.

“It has long been assumed that taking advantage of the breadth and depth of experience and expertise of professional accountants helps organizations optimize performance, efficiencies, and more. It is heartening to see robust global evidence in support of this relationship,” said IFAC CEO Fayez Choudhury. “The report finds that organizational development and performance lead to increased use of accountancy expertise, and accountancy expertise leads to superior performance and development.”

The report summarizes the findings by entity size—small- and medium-sized entities (SMEs) and large entities—as important differences exist between studies about each group and in how business performance and accountancy expertise are operationalized and the results interpreted. The research also shows the positive impact professional accountants have on aligning organizations’ goals and actions. Professional accountants are well-suited to play various roles in organizations, including analysis and communication of information, decision making, managing risks, and creating sustainable value—roles that indirectly impact business performance.

Commissioned by IFAC, researchers at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies conducted a literature review of more than 90 academic research papers. The full report details the results while the Key Findings, also released today, summarizes notable insights. The research was facilitated by the University of Dayton in accordance with an agreement with IFAC.

About IFAC
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession, dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. It is comprised of more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) is seeking an exceptional individual for the full-time position of Technical Director.

The IAASB serves the public interest by setting high-quality international standards for auditing, assurance, and other related standards, and by facilitating the convergence of international and national auditing and assurance standards. The IAASB aims to enhance the quality and consistency of practice throughout the world and strengthen public confidence in the global auditing and assurance profession.

The Technical Director is essential to the management of the IAASB and the quality of the international standards it produces, and works closely with the IAASB Chair and Deputy Chair to plan and implement the board’s strategy. He/she coordinates the activities of the IAASB, and leads the team supporting these activities. He/she acts as an IAASB spokesperson, and is responsible for the development of relationships with stakeholders.

We are looking for an professional with:

• Strong leadership, technical, and organizational skills;
• Standard-setting experience, as well as technical and practical knowledge, with emphasis on auditing, assurance, and related services; and
• Strong people, project management, and written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to work and build relationships in a multicultural environment.

In leading the team that supports the work of the IAASB, the Technical Director will be self-motivated, confident in dealing with complex and sensitive matters, and have the flexibility to respond to issues with the speed necessary to meet demands.

As a spokesperson of the IAASB, the Technical Director should be articulate, confident, and exercise sound political judgment in interactions with members of the profession, international regulators, and the press.

The position, which is based in the IAASB office in New York and requires international travel, provides opportunities to:

• Engage on matters of public interest with the international and national regulatory and standard-setting communities; senior members of the global accountancy profession; and investor, preparer, governance, and other stakeholder groups;  
• Influence the direction, shape, and content of leading-edge standard-setting projects and external stakeholder relations, supporting and enhancing global public trust in the accountancy profession;
• Lead in a dynamic, collaborative, multicultural, and collegial environment, and foster strong relations with colleagues passionate about international standard setting in the areas of audit and assurance, ethics for professional accountants, accounting education, and public sector accounting;
• Manage the international audit and assurance standard-setting program, working at the forefront of strengthening the accountancy profession internationally; and
• Lead and develop a dynamic team of high-quality professionals.

For further information about the position, please see the job description at www.ifac.org/careers. Applications are still being accepted. 

About the IAASB
The IAASB develops auditing and assurance standards and guidance for use by all professional accountants under a shared standard-setting process involving the Public Interest Oversight Board, which oversees the activities of the IAASB, and the IAASB Consultative Advisory Group, which provides public interest input into the development of the standards and guidance. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IAASB are facilitated by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). For copyright, trademark, and permissions information, please go to permissions or contact permissions@ifac.org.

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board Consultative Advisory Group (IPSASB CAG), comprised of representatives of public and private constituencies interested in or affected by the IPSASB’s work, held its first meeting on June 20, 2016 in Toronto, Canada.

“The inaugural IPSASB CAG meeting was an historic event. It represents the final piece of the IPSASB’s enhanced governance processes and responds to the recommendations of the Governance Review Group and advice of the Public Interest Committee (PIC),” said IPSASB CAG Chair Thomas Müller-Marqués Berger. “The CAG membership is the result of an open call for nominations, which received very strong interest. The largest segment of CAG members represent the important preparers/users constituency and overall it is a diverse group. The meeting itself was highly positive, with strong engagement in the topics, lively debates, and diverse viewpoints that fed into the discussions at the subsequent IPSASB meeting.”

The IPSASB CAG membership includes those engaged in the preparation, audit, or evaluation of public sector financial reports. It advises on the IPSASB’s strategy, work program, and agenda, including projects from technical and adoption as well as implementation perspectives, and other matters relevant to standard setting.

“The CAG considered and provided detailed recommendations on three key IPSASB projects—Social Benefits, Revenue, and Non-Exchange Expenses,” said IPSASB Chair Ian Carruthers, who attended the meeting along with several IPSASB members. “The IPSASB really appreciated the views of CAG members, which will help ensure that the broad perspectives of their constituencies are considered in the development of each project.”

Full details on the IPSASB CAG membership can be found at: www.ipsasb.org/cag/cag-members.The next IPSASB CAG meeting will be held on December 4, 2016 in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

About the IPSASB
The IPSASB develops accounting standards and guidance for use by public sector entities. It receives support (both direct financial and in-kind) from the Government Accounting Standards Board, the Asian Development Bank, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, the South African Accounting Standards Board, the New Zealand External Reporting Board, and the governments of Canada, New Zealand, and Switzerland.

About the Public Interest Committee
The governance and standard-setting activities of the IPSASB are overseen by the Public Interest Committee (PIC), to ensure that they follow due process and reflect the public interest. The PIC is comprised of individuals with expertise in public sector or financial reporting, and professional engagement in organizations that have an interest in promoting high-quality and internationally comparable financial information.

About IFAC
The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) is the global organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. IFAC is comprised of more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants^® (IESBA^®, the Ethics Board) today released a new standard, Responding to Non-Compliance with Laws and Regulations. The standard sets out a first-of-its-kind framework to guide professional accountants in what actions to take in the public interest when they become aware of a potential illegal act, known as non-compliance with laws and regulations, or NOCLAR, committed by a client or employer.

The standard applies to all categories of professional accountants, including auditors, other professional accountants in public practice, and professional accountants in organizations, including those in businesses, government, education, and the not-for-profit sector. It addresses breaches of laws and regulations that deal with matters such as fraud, corruption and bribery, money laundering, tax payments, financial products and services, environmental protection, and public health and safety.

“This standard not only raises the ethical bar for the global accountancy profession but also provides an opportunity for it to demonstrate its unflagging commitment to act in the public interest,” said IESBA Chairman Dr. Stavros Thomadakis. “The standard reinforces the public interest role that professional accountants play in stimulating more trustworthy and accountable organizations, and in helping to protect stakeholders and the general public from substantial harm that may stem from breaches of laws and regulations.”

Among other matters, the new standard provides a clear pathway for auditors and other professional accountants to disclose potential non-compliance situations to appropriate public authorities in certain situations without being constrained by the ethical duty of confidentiality. It also places renewed emphasis on the role of senior-level accountants in business in promoting a culture of compliance with laws and regulations and prevention of non-compliance within their organizations.

“The board carefully calibrated the standard based on the rich and diverse input from a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that it is proportionate and, importantly, globally operable,” said IESBA Technical Director Ken Siong, adding, “The standard fills a gap in jurisdictions where legislation or regulation does not address professional accountants’ responsibilities in these situations, and by providing helpful guidance it may well complement legislation or regulation in jurisdictions that do address it. This has been a long journey, and now it’s time for national standard setters, professional accountancy organizations, and accounting firms to adopt and implement the standard.”

The standard is the result of an extensive six-year consultative process, including two Exposure Drafts, three global roundtables in Hong Kong, Brussels, and Washington, DC, and extensive outreach to the global regulatory community, international policy-making organizations, investors, preparers, the corporate governance community, national standard setters, accounting firms, professional accountancy organizations, and other stakeholders. In developing the standard, the Ethics Board also liaised closely with the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) so that the new standard and the IAASB’s International Standards on Auditing are aligned.

For an overview of the standard, see the At-a-Glance document. For a summary of the board’s decisions in response to significant comments from respondents on the May 2015 Exposure Draft, see the Basis for Conclusions. Additional resources, including a fact sheet and video Q&A series, are available on the NOCLAR web page.

To access the standard, visit the IESBA website: www.ethicsboard.org. The standard will be effective July 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted.

About the IESBA
The IESBA is an independent standard-setting board that develops and issues, in the public interest, high-quality ethical standards and other pronouncements for professional accountants worldwide. Through its activities, the IESBA develops the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, which establishes ethical requirements for professional accountants. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IESBA are facilitated by IFAC. Please visit www.ethicsboard.org for more information.

About IFAC
The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) is the global organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. IFAC is comprised of more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

To further support transparency, adoption, and implementation of international standards, as well as the public interest, the International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) today published comprehensive profiles of IFAC member organizations and the jurisdictions in which they operate.

This in-depth information demonstrates the widespread use of international standards and the efforts of IFAC member organizations to encourage adoption, advance implementation, and support the businesses, communities, and governments in their nations. It also emphasizes the crucial role of IFAC member organizations in further strengthening the quality of the accountancy profession and the need to strategically focus attention and resources.

“High-quality, internationally accepted standards for the accountancy profession are crucial to enhancing confidence and stability in the global economy,” said IFAC President Olivia Kirtley. “Publishing this information is a significant milestone in reporting the progress on adoption of international standards made by IFAC member organizations, national standard setters, regulators, and other stakeholders.”

Profiles for an initial 62 IFAC member organizations and 48 countries are now available on the IFAC website. Each country profile includes a description of the regulatory and legal landscape for the accountancy profession in that jurisdiction and an assessment of the adoption of international standards for audit, ethics, education, and public and private sector accounting, as well as the establishment of quality assurance and investigative and disciplinary systems. Member organization profiles also include information on compliance with the IFAC Statements of Membership Obligations.

“We are really pleased to take this significant step forward by providing more information about the global profession,” said Sylvia Tsen, IFAC Senior Director, Quality and Member Relations. “These profiles provide enhanced transparency that will help the public better understand jurisdictional landscapes—legal, regulatory, oversight, and more—and better understand the ongoing work of IFAC member organizations in further strengthening the entire profession—and the global economy.”

This information was compiled by IFAC staff drawing from multiple sources, including the information collected through the IFAC Member Compliance Program and the member organizations themselves. Remaining profiles will be published in the coming months and content will be updated annually.

About IFAC
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. IFAC is comprised of over 175 members and associates in over 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

El Comité de Nominaciones de la Federación Internacional de Contadores^® (IFAC^®) emitió hoy una Convocatoria Especial: Miembro de América Latina y el Caribe para el Comité de Nominaciones en el 2017. La convocatoria especial para las nominaciones representa una oportunidad para integrar el Comité de Nominaciones de la IFAC.

El Comité de Nominaciones está buscando a un miembro experimentado y altamente respetado de la profesión, con una considerable experiencia internacional y conocimiento general de la IFAC y sus actividades, que está bien informado de los riesgos y las oportunidades que tienen un impacto en la profesión contable mundial para ocupar el puesto como miembro del Comité de Nominaciones. El Comité de Nominaciones está particularmente interesado en los candidatos que previamente hayan servido en comités de postulación u organismos similares en su región, o que tengan participación previa con funciones de recursos humanos y experiencia en la evaluación de competencias y cualificaciones de candidatos con un alto grado de imparcialidad. Dominio del idioma Inglés (escrito y oral) es esencial.

Está vacante está abierta para las nominaciones de las organizaciones miembros de la IFAC.

"Los voluntarios son clave para el funcionamiento eficaz de la IFAC," dijo la Presidente del Comité de Nominaciones Olivia Kirtley. "Buscamos tener una representación lo más ampliamente posible para reflejar mejor la diversidad, la membresía global de la IFAC y queremos asegurar que la región de América Latina y el Caribe este adecuadamente representada en este importante comité. Agradecemos a todas nuestras organizaciones miembro por su continuo apoyo y esperamos recibir sus nominaciones".

Los candidatos deben aplicar en línea a través de la base de datos de nominaciones antes del 1 de agosto de 2016. Las instrucciones sobre cómo aplicar están disponibles en el sitio web de la IFAC.

Se prevé que una entrevista para esta posición se llevé a cabo por parte del Comité de Nominaciones, fecha por determinar, una vez la aplicaciones hayan sido recibidas.

To access this press release in English, see IFAC Issues Special Call for Nominations for Nominating Committee Member from Latin America and Caribbean.

Acerca de la IFAC
IFAC  es la organización mundial de la profesión contable, dedicada a servir al interés público mediante el fortalecimiento de la profesión y contribuyendo al desarrollo de economías internacionales fuertes. Está compuesta por más de 175 miembros y asociados en más de 130 países y jurisdicciones, que representan cerca de 3 millones de contadores en la práctica pública, la educación, el sector gobierno, la industria y el comercio.

The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) Nominating Committee issued today the Call for Nominations from Latin America and Caribbean for the Nominating Committee in 2017. The supplementary Call for Nominations sets out this upcoming opportunity for membership on the IFAC Nominating Committee.

The Nominating Committee is looking for a senior and highly respected member of the profession, with considerable international experience and general knowledge of IFAC and its activities, who is knowledgeable of the risks and opportunities having an impact on the global accountancy profession to fill the position of Nominating Committee Member. The Nominating Committee is particularly interested in candidates who previously served on nominating or similar committees in their region or have previous involvement with human resource functions, and also have experience in assessing candidates’ skills and qualifications with a high degree of impartiality. English proficiency (both written and oral) is essential.

This vacancy is open for nominations by IFAC member organizations.

“Volunteers are key to the effective functioning of IFAC,” said Nominating Committee Chair Olivia Kirtley. “We seek to have as broad a representation as possible to better reflect IFAC’s diverse, global membership and want to make sure that the Latin America and Caribbean region is appropriately represented in this important committee. We thank all our member organizations for their continued support and look forward to receiving their nominations.”

Candidates should apply online via the nominations database by August 1, 2016. Instructions on how to apply are available on the IFAC website.

It is anticipated that an interview for this position will be conducted by the Nominating Committee at a time to be determined once the applications have been received.

To access this press release in Spanish, see IFAC abre Convocatoria Especial para un Miembro de América Latina y el Caribe para el Comité de Nominaciones.

About IFAC
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession, dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. It is comprised of over 175 members and associates in over 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

Last night’s decision on the UK referendum on Europe caught many by surprise; capital markets have reacted negatively, and we can expect them to continue to reflect uncertainty in the short term.

The withdrawal process could be a long and complex one, spanning a number of years, and the knock-on effect in Europe is hard to predict.

“Clearly, the UK, Europe, and many other parts of the world will be operating in a period of considerable uncertainty. The accountancy profession will have an important role to play in the myriad issues that will need to be addressed,” said Fayezul Choudhury, IFAC Chief Executive Officer.

IFAC recognizes that the effects of these issues will be pervasive:

• for companies addressing short-term risks and thinking through their longer-term plans;
• for regulators as they overlay the implications of recent developments on an already complex and fragmented regulatory environment;
• for capital markets as they seek to regain stability and an orderly process; and
• for governments as they realign public policies, particularly in significantly affected areas, such as taxation.

IFAC has consistently advocated for the importance of global cooperation and coordination, and of the need for governments to work together to support a strong, sustainable global economy. Regulatory cooperation and consistency, enhanced public sector financial management and transparency, the adoption and use of globally accepted, high-quality standards, and commitments to work together to address taxation matters are fundamental to finding solutions and outcomes that benefit all of society.

“IFAC has always stressed that governments, businesses, and the regulatory community across the globe must work together, cooperatively, to respond to the challenges being faced by our interconnected financial markets and economies,” said Mr. Choudhury. "Brexit makes this collaborative approach all the more vital, and the global accountancy profession must be engaged in bringing its experience and expertise to bear in many of the areas where work will be needed.”

About IFAC^®
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession, dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. It is comprised of more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) today announced the selection of Certified Public Accountants Ireland (CPA Ireland) to partner with the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) and its training arm, the Nigerian College of Accountancy (NCA), to review and strengthen its study materials and examination processes.

NCA is a postgraduate professional college established in 1994. It is responsible for determining the standards of knowledge and skills needed by potential ANAN members and promoting the highest standards of competence, practice, and conduct. NCA provides tuition to 1,000 full-time residential students every year, as well as to part-time students through its mature students program.

In working with ANAN, CPA Ireland will review, update, and make recommendations for ongoing maintenance to the syllabus, study materials, and examination for NCA’s professional and conversion programs.

“CPA Ireland is no stranger to the accountancy profession in Nigeria, having worked with ANAN on a number of projects in recent years,” said Eamonn Siggins, CPA Ireland Chief Executive. “We have a strong understanding of ANAN, its position in the accountancy profession in Nigeria, and the Nigerian profession. We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with ANAN through this partnership to advance accountancy education.”

“Working with CPA Ireland to strengthen their training and examination will help NCA elevate their accountancy education in line with good practice, and position them to make a strong contribution to building public sector accountancy capacity as well as attract increasing numbers of students,” said Alta Prinsloo, IFAC Executive Director, Strategy, and Chief Operating Officer.

In 2014, IFAC received almost £5 million from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to fund PAO capacity building in ten emerging countries over seven years. CPA Ireland joins other global accountancy organizations that have been selected to develop the profession in specific nations. Each partner organization was selected following global Calls for Expressions of Interest and an extensive proposal and review process involving multiple global organizations and the IFAC PAO Capacity Building Program Oversight Committee and Independent Selection Panel. Work stemming from these partnerships are currently underway in Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe and a planned project in Kyrgyzstan is in development.

About IFAC
IFAC is the global organization for the accountancy profession, dedicated to serving the public interest by strengthening the profession and contributing to the development of strong international economies. It is comprised of more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

About CPA Ireland
The Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (CPA Ireland) is one of the main Irish accountancy bodies representing 5,000 members and students. The CPA designation is the most commonly used designation worldwide for professional accountants and the Institute’s qualification enjoys wide international recognition. Its current membership operates in public practice, Industry, financial services and the public sector and CPAs work in over 40 countries around the world.

CPA Ireland is active in the profession at national and international level participating in the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies – Ireland – CCAB (I) and together with other leading accountancy bodies the Institute was a founding member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) – the worldwide body. CPA Ireland is also a member of the Federation des Experts Comptables Europeens (FEE), the representative body for the main accountancy bodies in 37 European countries.

The Institute fulfils its statutory role as a recognised body by overseeing the professional activities of its members in practice, and insuring that education and training standards are maintained. As the first accountancy body to introduce a mandatory regime of Continuing Professional Development, the Institute ensures that all CPAs remain at the leading edge throughout their careers. The Institute provides a quality service to its Members and Students, which has been recognised through the award and maintenance of ISO 9001:2008. For further information visit www.cpaireland.ie.

About DFID
The UK Department for International Development (DFID) leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty. They are ending the need for aid by creating jobs, unlocking the potential of girls and women and helping to save lives when humanitarian emergencies hit. For more information, visit www.gov.uk/dfid.