The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) and International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) welcome today's announcement from the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) of its support and encouragement for the IAASB’s and IESBA’s work on developing standards relating to assurance of sustainability-related information. The IAASB and IESBA acknowledge that stakeholders areincreasingly seeking assurance of sustainability-related information and that it is important to respond to market demands with robust standards applicable to all sustainability assurance providers.

IAASB Chair Tom Seidenstein said: “There is a clear need for ongoing dialogue and collaboration to ensure sustainability reporting, assurance, and regulation develop in a cohesive manner to provide decision-useful information to stakeholders. We are pleased to have IOSCO’s support for our ongoing work to enhance sustainability assurance standards and look forward to continuing our strong, fruitful relationship with IOSCO and others.”

IESBA Chair Gabriela Figueiredo Dias said: “Ethics standards, including independence requirements, are foundational to public trust in the assurance of sustainability-related information. It is crucial and in the public interest that all assurance providers, whether or not they are from the accountancy profession, adhere to the same high bar of ethical behavior and independence when engaged in such assurance work. We have given high priority to bringing to market fit-for-purpose ethics and independence standards in this area and look forward to close coordination with IOSCO and IAASB on this journey.”

The IAASB meets this week to continue discussions and vote on its sustainability assurance project proposal to develop an overarching standard for assurance engagements on sustainability. The standard will provide a global baseline for all professional assurance providers providing assurance on any sustainability information being reported, if the preconditions necessary for effective assurance are met.

The IESBA meets this week to consider possible approaches to standard setting in relation to sustainability assurance and sustainability reporting, recognizing that professional accountants in business play a “first line of defense” role in preparing and presenting trustworthy sustainability information. The IESBA will also consider the applicability of its standards to assurance providers outside of the accountancy profession. The IESBA anticipates approving a project plan by December 2022.

The IAASB and IESBA will continue to closely collaborate with IOSCO and other regulatory and standard-setting bodies to inform the development of robust standards that foster independent, high-quality engagements and globally consistent practices.

About the IAASB
The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board 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.

About the IESBA
The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) is an independent global standard-setting board. The IESBA serves the public interest by setting ethics standards, including auditor independence requirements, which seek to raise the bar for ethical conduct and practice for all professional accountants through a robust, globally operable International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards).

The IESBA believes a single set of high-quality ethics standards enhances the quality and consistency of services provided by professional accountants, thus contributing to public trust and confidence in the accountancy profession. The IESBA sets its standards in the public interest with advice from the IESBA Consultative Advisory Group (CAG) and under the oversight of the Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB).

The Fast Future With IFAC is a conversational podcast series that features innovative SMP practitioners sharing how they’re adapting to the rapidly changing global economy.

Episode four features a conversation with Paul Redmond, an Irish professional accountant. His firm, RDA Accountants Limited, has four offices across Ireland. He has a wide range of experiences and expertise, including the digitalization of accounting practices.

IFAC principal Kristy Illuzzi spoke with Paul about a range of pressing topics for SMPs, including:

• Going digital with his firm
• Building trust and enabling sustainability
• Steppng into advisory services
• Building strong relationships with clients

Click below or visit IFAC's iTunes podcast channel to listen to this episode. Be sure to subscribe to catch our next conversation with an innovative practitioner, coming soon.

(Back to the Fast Future With IFAC homepage.)

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) has issued a non-authoritative publication to address some of the common questions related to reporting going concern matters in the auditor’s report. Specifically, the publication focuses on the use of and interrelationship of the Material Uncertainty Related to Going Concern and Key Audit Matters sections, and the Emphasis of Matter paragraphs, in an auditor’s report prepared in accordance with the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs).

This publication does not amend or override the International Standards on Auditing, the texts of which alone are authoritative. Reading the publication is not a substitute for reading the ISAs.

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) today published its Public Report detailing its support for the public interest for the year ended December 31, 2021. During this 12-month period, the IAASB approved the final revised standard on group audits, agreed its Work Plan for 2022-2023 that included a dedicated workstream on enhanced sustainability assurance standards, and developed and implemented its Framework for Activities, among other actions.

The year 2021 also included the transformational milestone of launching IAASB’s first fully digital handbook, in collaboration with the International Federation of Accountants. The new online platform, e-International Standards (eIS), highlights the IAASB’s commitment to improving the usability of, and access to, its standards by harnessing technology.

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) today released non-authoritative guidance, The Fraud Lens – Interactions Between ISA 240 and Other ISAs. The guidance illustrates the relationship and linkages between International Standard on Auditing (ISA) 240, The Auditor’s Responsibilities Relating to Fraud in an Audit of Financial Statements, and other ISAs when planning and performing an audit engagement and reporting thereon.

The IAASB recently approved a project proposal to revise ISA 240 to enhance or clarify an auditor’s responsibilities on fraud in an audit of financial statements. In the interim, this non-authoritative guidance illustrates how extant ISA 240 is to be applied in conjunction with the full suite of ISAs. As part of the project, additional non-authoritative guidance may be developed to further support the implementation and application of the proposed revised standard, once developed.

To help users of its standards adapt to the clarified and updated definition of “engagement team”, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) has released a new fact sheet. The new fact sheet addresses the clarified definition and its possible impacts, including recognition that engagement teams may be organized in a variety of ways, including across different locations or by the activity they are performing. The fact sheet also includes a diagram that walks users through who specifically is included and excluded.

This new engagement team definition applies to the International Standards on Auditing and International Standards on Quality Management. 

Together with ICAEW, The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) today released the latest installment in its Anti-Money Laundering: The Basics educational series: Installment Nine: Tools to Fight Back.  

The publication is part of a series helping accountants enhance their understanding of how money laundering works, the risks they face, and what they can do to mitigate these risks and make a positive contribution to the public interest. Installment nine examines the tools professional accountants have at their disposal to address money laundering once it’s suspected.  

Anti-Money Laundering: The Basics is user-friendly, easily accessible, and will be a resource for small and medium practices (SMPs) and accountants less familiar with AML, while also providing guidance for those looking for a quick refresher or reference.

Anti-Money Laundering: The Basics is featured on both the IFAC (link) and ICAEW websites and available for download for free. To be globally relevant, the series uses the risk-based approach of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) – the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog -- as a starting point. 

For more information about IFAC, visit www.ifac.org.

For more information about ICAEW, visit https://www.icaew.com/.

The IAASB is pleased to announce that its 2022-2023 Work Plan, A Public Interest Focus in Uncertain Times, has been approved by the Public Interest Oversight Board, which is a key element of the IAASB’s due process. The Work Plan was previously approved by the IAASB during its December 2021 meeting.

Sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) assurance are a prominent addition to the new work plan and will see increased time and resourcing for 2022–2023. The new Work Plan also highlights candidate topics in the Audit and Review space (e.g., responding to assessed risks of material misstatement and the impact of technology on various standards) that will be considered for a further project to begin in 2023. A key focus will remain the progression and completion of projects underway at the start of 2022, including audits of financial statements of less complex entities, audit evidence, going concern and fraud.

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) today released a new resource, Auditing Accounting Estimates: ISA 540 (Revised) Implementation Tool. It will help auditors implement the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s International Standard on Auditing 540 (Revised), Auditing Accounting Estimates and Related Disclosures by providing an overview of steps practitioners could take and related considerations.

For entities of all types and sizes, management has to make accounting estimates, which have estimation uncertainty and may also be complex. Making these estimates involves selecting and applying a method using assumptions and data, which requires judgment. The nature, timing and extent of the audit procedures required will vary in relation to the estimation uncertainty and the assessment of the related risks of material misstatement.  

This implementation tool contains “what”, “why” and “how” suggestions. These are not all-encompassing and more or different considerations may apply depending on the circumstances of the engagement. The implementation tool also works in conjunction with the IAASB’s previously published ISA 540 (Revised) flowcharts showing the requirements flow. The choice of specific procedures an auditor decides to perform to meet the requirements of ISA 540 (Revised) and other relevant ISAs is a matter of professional judgement. This implementation tool does not replace the need to read ISA 540 (Revised), including its application and other explanatory material.

The publication is based on the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) Implementation Tool and supports efforts to improve audit quality globally and, more broadly, international standards’ adoption and implementation. Additional guidance and resources are available on the dedicated Supporting International Standards section of the IFAC Knowledge Gateway.

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 180 members and associates in 135 countries and jurisdictions, representing more than 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) today released a new resource, Exploring the IESBA Code, A Focus on Technology: Artificial Intelligence. This two-page publication highlights the application of the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards) (the Code), in particular, the relevance of the Code’s fundamental principles and its conceptual framework to addressing ethics issues that might arise when artificial intelligence (AI) is used or implemented by professional accountants. Specifically, the installment sets out an AI scenario to assist accountants in identifying, evaluating and addressing threats to compliance with the Code’s fundamental principles.

Originally launched in 2019, the Exploring the IESBA Code is a unique resource developed in collaboration with the staff of the IESBA. This installment focusing on AI has also benefited from input from the IESBA’s Technology Working Group. The Exploring the IESBA Code series is intended to promote awareness of the Code and support its global adoption and implementation. It is non-authoritative and is not a substitute for reading the Code. Each installment highlights important concepts and topics in the Code and seeks to help readers understand how to use and navigate the Code so that they can quickly identify and access the ethics and independence standards and guidance relevant to them.

Previous installments have been translated into multiple languages. Topics previously covered by the series include: the fundamental principles, the conceptual framework, auditor independence, conflicts of interest, inducements, responding to non-compliance with laws and regulations (NOCLAR), pressure, the role and mindset expected of the professional accountant with a focus on bias, and the “building blocks” structure of the Code. Click here to access this and previous installments.

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 180 members and associates in 135 countries and jurisdictions, representing more than 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

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 ethics standards, including auditor independence requirements, which seek to raise the bar for ethical conduct and practice for all professional accountants through a robust, globally operable International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards) (the Code).