Audit quality is at the heart of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board^® (IAASB^®)’s work as the global auditing standard setter. Therefore, the IAASB today released its Invitation to Comment, Enhancing Audit Quality in the Public Interest: A Focus on Professional Skepticism, Quality Control and Group Audits (the ITC). This ITC highlights the board’s discussions in these three topic areas and indicates potential standard-setting activities that could enhance audit quality.

“We are committed to having a strong impact on audit quality—particularly as the environment in which audits are conducted evolves and becomes more complex,” stated Prof. Arnold Schilder, IAASB Chairman. “We believe that global use of the International Standards on Auditing™ is a fundamental part of this objective. In addition, we acknowledge the importance of continuing to strengthen the standards and being responsive to ongoing concerns about audit quality. It is essential that the standards reinforce the need for auditors to continue to be critical challengers, within a system of rigorous quality management.”

The IAASB released a companion document, Overview of the ITC, which summarizes the key areas the IAASB is exploring and the direction it may take.

“Responses to this consultation will guide the board’s work over the next few years, so it is essential that we hear from all stakeholder groups about where we should focus,” explained Kathleen Healy, IAASB Technical Director. “The Overview document, in particular, is designed to solicit feedback from and improve collaboration with investors, audit committees, and preparers. Other stakeholders may also find the Overview useful as a discussion and outreach document as they develop their comments.”

The IAASB’s Framework for Audit Quality, issued in 2014, explains the important role of auditors and their firms—as well as other stakeholders—in audit quality, and the contextual factors that affect it. It is an important reference document for this consultation.

How to Comment
The IAASB invites all stakeholders to respond to either the ITC or the Overview, each of which includes specific questions for respondents. To access the ITC and Overview and submit a comment, visit the IAASB’s website at www.iaasb.org.

The comment period for both publications is open through May 16, 2016.

The IAASB intends to supplement these public consultations with outreach events in 2016. In the upcoming weeks, additional tools and publications will be released on the IAASB’s website to assist stakeholders in understanding how the ITC and Overview are relevant to them and to facilitate responses. To be notified of these events and tools, please subscribe to the IAASB eNews.

About the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board
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).

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 approximately 2.8 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board^® (IPSASB^®) today announced the establishment of a new forum—the IPSASB Consultative Advisory Group (CAG)—that will have representatives of public and private sector organizations and individuals who are interested in or affected by the IPSASB’s work, including those engaged in the preparation, audit, or evaluation of public sector financial reports.

The CAG will provide advice to the IPSASB on:

• The IPSASB’s strategy and work plan;
• IPSASB’s projects, including views on technical issues or matters that may impede adopting and implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standards™ (IPSAS™); and
• Oher matters relevant to the IPSASB standard-setting activities.

The inaugural meeting of the CAG is provisionally planned for June 2016 in Toronto, Canada.

“The formation of the CAG marks an important milestone in further strengthening of the governance arrangements for the IPSASB following the creation of the Public Interest Committee (PIC) earlier this year. The CAG’s establishment responds to a key recommendation in the governance review group’s report and will serve to further strengthen the IPSASB’s standard-setting processes by enabling additional dialogue with key stakeholders,” said IPSASB Chair Andreas Bergmann.

Accompanying this announcement of the formation of the IPSASB CAG is a call for nominations of representatives from organizations, or individuals, interested in serving as a member of the IPSASB CAG. The IPSASB is particularly interested in nominations of users of public sector financial reports and representatives of governments and other public sector entities, including preparers. Nominations are also encouraged from parliamentarians, public sector auditors, regulators, non-governmental organizations, and other regional and international organizations. The call for nominations will remain open until February 19, 2016. Further information about the call for nominations is available on the IPSASB web site.

The IPSASB today also announced the appointment of Thomas Müller-Marqués Berger as the inaugural Chair of the IPSASB CAG. He will serve as appointed CAG Chair for up to two years during the initial meetings of the CAG until arrangements are in place by which the CAG will elect a chair from its own membership.

“I welcome the important challenge of leading the CAG in its formative period and ensuring it has a stable foundation to provide the IPSASB with timely input to help contribute to the development of high-quality IPSAS,” said Mr. Müller-Marqués Berger.

Mr. Müller-Marqués Berger brings a wealth of leadership and public sector accounting experience to the CAG. Currently, he is the Global Head of International Public Sector Accounting for Ernst & Young and the Chair of the Public Sector Group of Accountancy Europe. Mr. Müller-Marqués Berger has a long and distinguished record of participation in dialogue on public sector accounting and accounting standard setting nationally and internationally, including former service on the IPSASB.

“The IPSASB is fortunate that Thomas has agreed to become the CAG’s inaugural Chair. He is a leader in the field of public sector accounting and is deeply involved in key initiatives, including the European Public Sector Accounting Standards project.” said incoming IPSASB Chair, Ian Carruthers.

The Public Interest Committee (PIC) welcomes these developments from a public interest perspective.

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 World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, the South African Accounting Standards Board, and the governments of Canada, New Zealand, and Switzerland. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IPSASB are facilitated by IFAC.

About the PIC
The Public Interest Committee (PIC) was established in March 2015 to promote the public interest in the standard-setting activities of the IPSASB. The PIC’s remit is to provide assurance that the IPSASB’s standard-setting activities are in the public interest, by providing recommendations on the terms of reference of the IPSASB; the arrangements for nomination and appointment of IPSAB members; and procedures and processes for formulation of the IPSASB’s strategy and work plan; and development of IPSASs. It currently is comprised of individuals from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and World Bank Group (WB).

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 over 2.8 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The evolving global regulatory environment and its role in improving growth, investment, and stability is the subject of a new International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) discussion paper launched today, From Crisis to Confidence: the Role of Good Regulation.

Published ahead of a roundtable in Hong Kong on December 8, 2015, the paper focuses on the importance of globally consistent “good regulation” to underpin confidence in the global economy. It examines the impact, benefits, and costs of the current regulatory landscape, and compares internationally recognized principles of good regulation.

“Good regulation is essential to the fairness, efficiency, and effectiveness of economies. Making regulation work in the public interest is a never-ending mission,” said Fayezul Choudhury, IFAC Chief Executive Officer. “Our discussion paper will facilitate a focused conversation on how regulatory responses to financial crises have played out, where the issues stand today, and what the lessons are.”

The roundtable in Hong Kong will bring together senior representatives of the regulatory, government, professional, investor, business, and academic communities.

“During the immediate pressure of crisis decision making, such reflection is not always possible,” said Mr. Choudhury. “Taking stock now is essential. Strengthening the global financial system’s capacity to anticipate, respond, and collaborate is paramount—especially before the next inevitable shock to challenge the global economy.”

IFAC is seeking written comments from the research community on key regulatory issues including: What has been achieved, what is working well, and what problems are emerging? What are the main costs and impacts? What is good regulation? Please contact Amir Ghandar, Senior Policy Adviser, Public Policy and Regulation, at AmirGhandar@ifac.org for more information.

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 over 2.8 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) and Fédération Internationale des Experts Comptables et Commissaires aux Comptes Francophones (FIDEF), an acknowledged grouping of French-speaking accountancy bodies, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a cooperation framework to achieve longer-term, sustainable processes for French translations of international standards and other IFAC publications. The agreement was commemorated with a formal signing ceremony in connection with the IFAC Council meeting held in Singapore on November 11, 2015. French is a significant language for translations as it is spoken by about 274 million people around the world and is an official language in 29 countries. The MoU will enable creation of high-quality, up-to-date, sustainable French-language translations of the international standards and other agreed-upon IFAC publications, and enhance adoption and consistent implementation of international standards in the French-speaking world.

For an overview of translations of IFAC’s publications, visit the IFAC Translations Database.

The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) has published in the Russian language the 2014 edition of the International Auditing and Assurance Standard Board^® (IAASB^®) Handbook of International Quality Control, Auditing, Review, Other Assurance, and Related Services Pronouncements, Volume I. This Russian translation was performed by the National Organization for Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards Foundation “NOFA Foundation.” To ensure wide acceptability of the translation, it was reviewed by a committee consisting of experts from the Russian Federation as well as from Belorussia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

For an overview of translations of IFAC’s publications, visit the IFAC Translations Database.

The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) Nominating Committee issued today the Call for Nominations for the IFAC Board and Committees in 2017 along with the companion guide, Developing a Nominations Strategy. The Call for Nominations sets out the upcoming opportunities for membership on the IFAC Board, Compliance Advisory Panel (CAP), and four committees—Professional Accountancy Organization (PAO) Development Committee, Professional Accountants in Business Committee (PAIBC), Small and Medium Practices Committee (SMPC), and Nominating Committee.

For 2017, there are 29 vacancies on the Board and committees, including two leadership positions due to expiring terms—IFAC Deputy President and SMPC Chair.

The Nominating Committee is looking for a senior and highly respected member of the profession who is committed to IFAC’s mission and strategy to fill the position of Deputy President.  After two years of service, the Deputy President is expected to stand for the office of IFAC President, with an estimated time commitment of 60 percent to 80 percent of a full-time position. Therefore candidates should be prepared for a significant time and travel commitment over the four-year period.

All vacancies on the Board and committees are open for nominations by IFAC member organizations.

“Volunteers are central to IFAC’s effective functioning, and that of its committees,” said Nominating Committee Chair Olivia Kirtley. “We are indebted to them for their time and commitment to the accountancy profession and the public interest. We thank all our member organizations for their continued support and look forward to receiving their nominations.”

The Nominating Committee encourages all IFAC member organizations to review the Call for Nominations, including the detailed information regarding open vacancies, composition targets, specific membership qualifications, and requirements. The Call also offers strategic guidance in selecting candidates, including identifying the most qualified nominee for each available position.

Nominations can be submitted online via the Nominations Database  by February 15, 2016. Please note the earlier deadline compared to prior years to allow the Nominating Committee additional time to review all nominations prior to its first meeting. 

Additional information on the Nominating Committee and its open, transparent process is available on the Nominating Committee web page.

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 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.8 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The accountancy profession is strongly linked to national economic growth and improved living standards, and it contributes USD $575 billion annually to the global economy, according to a report by the International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®), the global organization for the accountancy profession.

Fayez Choudhury, IFAC Chief Executive Officer, said, “This report highlights the scale of the profession’s importance to the global economy. It confirms a particularly exciting economic opportunity in the rapidly developing Asian and South American regions. And the findings verify the profound importance of IFAC’s mission—and that of the global profession—to help strengthen accountancy capacity in developing countries, where accountants have a significant role to play in strengthening the institutions and architecture that will improve peoples’ lives.”

For the first time, IFAC has definitively linked a strong accountancy profession to improved living standards for citizens.

Launched at the Singapore Accountancy Convention today, Nexus 2: The Accountancy Profession—A Global Value Add, a study conducted by the independent Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), found that:

• Global regions with a higher share of accountants in total employment have a higher per capita GDP.
• The correlation between the share of accountants in total employment and the UN Human Development Index (HDI) is even stronger. The HDI measures a number of indicators including life expectancy, years of schooling, and income.
• The global accountancy ecology—which includes members of IFAC professional accountancy organizations (PAOs) as well as people who identify their roles as accountancy or accountancy support—contributes an estimated $575 billion gross value added (GVA) annually to the global economy and, of this amount, IFAC PAO members contribute 43%.
• Highly developed countries in North America and Europe dominate the GVA of the global accountancy ecology; Asia’s contribution is third highest.
• There are 640,000 members of IFAC PAOs in Asia—but with an estimated 2.6 million accountants employed in Asia in 2013, a significant opportunity exists to strengthen the profession in a unified voice.

“Professional accountants contribute to better information, reporting, measurement and decision making. When nations have a robust system to track the flow of money in government, within businesses, and between organizations, transparency and accountability are improved, organizations are strengthened, and economies are enhanced,” Mr. Choudhury said.

A panel of leading regional and global figures in the accounting profession presented the report’s findings to an audience comprised of leaders in the public and private sectors.

Methodology
Cebr calculated the gross value added (GVA) of the accountancy sector using official datasets, or where data was poorer, by comparing average wages and then computing GVA per capita across the economy.

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 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing over 2.8 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

About Cebr:
Centre for Economics and Business Research Ltd (Cebr) is an independent consultancy with a reputation for sound business advice based on thorough and insightful research. Since 1992, Cebr has been at the forefront of business and public interest research, providing analysis, forecasts and strategic advice to major UK and multinational companies, financial institutions, government departments and agencies, trade bodies and the European Commission.

The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®), the global organization for the accountancy profession, today announced its new Board members and associates, decided at its annual Council Meeting.

Four members were elected to IFAC’s Board: Bill Balhoff (United States), Alan Johnson (United Kingdom), Terence Nomembe (South Africa), and Dr. Zhiguo Yang (China). The IFAC Council also re-elected: Carol Bellringer (Canada), Norunn Byrkjeland (Norway), Pamela Monroe Ellis (Jamaica), and Prof. In-Ki Joo (Republic of South Korea).

Welcoming the new Board members, IFAC President Olivia F. Kirtley said, “Through our global membership, IFAC represents nearly three million professional accountants who work in the public interest to strengthen organizations and enhance the global economy. The new and re-elected Board members represent the depth and breadth of the profession’s talent, as well as its diversity.”

The IFAC Council also voted to admit new associates from Africa and Asia:

• Ordre des Experts Comptables et Comptables Agréés du Burkina Faso (ONECCA-BF)
• The Vietnam Association of Certified Public Accountants (VACPA)

IFAC Chief Executive Officer Fayez Choudhury said: “It is with pleasure that we welcome, after a comprehensive admission process, these IFAC associates. Our new associate from Burkina Faso is the first professional accountancy organization from that country to join IFAC, while VACPA is the second organization to join from Vietnam. We welcome them into the global profession and look forward to working together to advance IFAC’s mission of supporting global economic growth and 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 over 175 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.8 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

To facilitate the contribution of professional accountants to integrated thinking—and help align capital allocation, corporate behavior, financial stability, and sustainable development—the International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®), the global organization for the accountancy profession, today published Creating Value with Integrated Thinking: The Role of Professional Accountants.

The thought paper sets out a vision for integrated thinking and explores what professional accountants working in the public and private sectors can do in practical terms to facilitate it in their organization, regardless of whether their organization is planning to publish an integrated report. It identifies five key elements, which, if implemented, can lead to more effective organizations. This ultimately provides the basis for shifting from today’s financially oriented reporting to integrated reporting.

“Integrated reporting continues to gain global momentum and help change the way businesses think about creating value over time. But it is integrated thinking that will ultimately change corporate behavior and lead to more resilient organizations and greater trust in business and government,” said IFAC CEO Fayez Choudhury. ”Professional accountants—as business partners involved in organizational leadership and decision support—can use integrated thinking as a means of engaging those beyond the finance and accounting departments to facilitate resilient organizations that create value over the short, medium, and long term.”

The thought paper reflects integrated thinking as we understand it today, given that this is a period of experimentation for many organizations. It explores what integrated thinking involves, as well as its challenges and how they can be overcome, and advances a meaningful understanding of its role and power. Notably, the publication also discusses how integrated reporting both improves and is improved by integrated thinking.

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 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.8 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The Call for Nominations for the Independent Standard-Setting Boards in 2017 was issued today. The Call sets out the upcoming opportunities for membership on the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board^® (IAASB^®), International Accounting Education Standards Board™ (IAESB™), International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants^® (IESBA^®), and International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board^® (IPSASB^®).

For 2017, there are 22 vacancies on the independent standard-setting boards. Vacancies on the boards are open for nominations by all stakeholders, including professional accountancy and international organizations, governmental agencies, firms, and the public. Nominations of non-accountants for the public member vacancies are strongly encouraged. Travel support is available to qualified candidates from developing nations, self-nominees, and public members.

Candidates should have knowledge of the subject matters considered by a particular board, as well as English proficiency.  Each board meets up to four times per year and the required time commitment is approximately 200 to 800 hours per year, depending on the board, including preparation and travel time.  Although each candidate will ultimately be selected based on experience, nominations of highly qualified candidates from Africa, Middle East, and Latin America are strongly encouraged. Nominations of female candidates are particularly welcome.

Nominations can be submitted through the Nominations Database. All nominations should be submitted before January 31, 2016.

To provide nominating organizations and nominees with some insights on the nominations process and the value of serving on the standard-setting boards, the following documents are available on the Nominating Committee webpage: Developing a Nominations Strategy, and Giving Back to the Profession: The Value of Serving.  

The Nominating Committee follows an open and transparent process to select the most suitable candidates for the available positions, while also aiming to achieve gender, regional, and professional balance. For more information about the Nominating Committee, its due process, or guidance in selecting the best candidate, please visit the Nominating Committee web page.

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 IFAC.

About the IAESB
The IAESB develops education standards and guidance for use by IFAC member organizations under a shared standard-setting process involving the Public Interest Oversight Board, which oversees the activities of the IAESB, and the IAESB 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 IAESB are facilitated by IFAC.

About the IESBA
The IESBA develops ethics standards and other pronouncements for professional accountants worldwide under a shared standard-setting process involving the Public Interest Oversight Board, which oversees the activities of the IESBA, and the IESBA Consultative Advisory Group, which provides public interest input into the development of the standards and other pronouncements. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IESBA are facilitated by IFAC.

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 World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, the South African Accounting Standards Board, and the governments of Canada, New Zealand, and Switzerland. It receives advice from the Public Interest Committee, which promotes the public interest in the IPSASB’s standard-setting activities. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IPSASB are facilitated by 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 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.8 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

“International Federation of Accountants,” “IFAC,” “International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board,” “IAASB,” “International Accounting Education Standards Board,” “IAESB,” “International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants,” “IESBA,” “International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board,” “IPSASB,”  the IAASB logo, the IAESB logo,  the IESBA logo, the IPSASB logo, and the IFAC logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of IFAC in the US and other countries.