In late 2020, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) issued three new and revised quality management standards. The standards strengthen and modernize how a firm of any size or level of complexity approaches quality management.

  • They address the evolving and increasingly complex audit ecosystem, including growing stakeholder expectations and a need for quality management systems that are proactive and adaptable.
  • They mark an evolution from a traditional, more linear approach for quality control to an integrated quality management approach.
  • They recognize the importance of firm governance and leadership, with quality embedded in the fabric of the firm’s culture, strategic and operational decisions, and leadership’s actions and behavior.

The standards also drive more robust and effective monitoring and remediation. At the engagement level, they increase the responsibility of engagement partners for managing and achieving audit quality. And they bolster who can perform engagement quality reviews and how the reviews are performed.

In order to support implementation and help small- and medium-sized practices (SMPs) understand, navigate and apply the revised standards, IFAC in collaboration with the Forum of Firms held two video panel discussions. These focus on providing an overview of International Standard on Quality Management 1, Quality Management for Firms that Perform Audits or Reviews of Financial Statements, or Other Assurance or Related Services Engagements, how firms are planning its implementation, and sharing practical examples, tips and suggested good practices. These videos are available in English; translated transcripts are also available in Spanish and French.

  • ISQM 1: Getting Ready for the New Risk-Based Approach – a discussion of the standard and the shift in mindset needed to apply the new risk-based approach.
  • ISQM 1: Early Lessons Learned and Next Steps - a discussion on how to get started on implementation and tips and best practices.

ISQM 1: Getting Ready for the New Risk-Based Approach

In late 2020, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) issued three new and revised quality management standards. In order to support implementation and help small- and medium-sized practices (SMPs) understand, navigate and apply the revised standards, IFAC held a series of video panel discussions, including this discussion of the standard and the shift in mindset needed...

ISQM 1: Early Lessons Learned and Next Steps

In late 2020, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) issued three new and revised quality management standards. In order to support implementation and help small- and medium-sized practices (SMPs) understand, navigate and apply the revised standards, IFAC held a series of video panel discussions, including this discussion of how to get started on implementation and tips...

ISQM 1: Se préparer à la nouvelle approche basée sur les risques

Fin 2020, le Conseil des normes internationales d'audit et d'assurance (IAASB) a publié trois normes de gestion de la qualité nouvelles et révisées. Afin de soutenir la mise en œuvre et d'aider les cabinets de petite et moyenne taille (SMP) à comprendre, naviguer et appliquer les normes révisées, l'IFAC a organisé une série de tables rondes vidéo, y compris cette discussion sur la norme et le...

ISQM 1: Premières leçons apprises et prochaines étapes

Fin 2020, le Conseil des normes internationales d'audit et d'assurance (IAASB) a publié trois normes de gestion de la qualité nouvelles et révisées. Afin de soutenir la mise en œuvre et d'aider les cabinets de petite et moyenne taille (SMP) à comprendre, naviguer et appliquer les normes révisées, l'IFAC a organisé une série de tables rondes vidéo, y compris cette discussion sur la façon de...

ISQM 1: Preparándose para el nuevo enfoque basado en el riesgo

A finales de 2020, la Junta de Normas Internacionales de Auditoría y Aseguramiento (IAASB) emitió tres normas de gestión de calidad nuevas y revisadas. Con el fin de respaldar la implementación y ayudar a las prácticas pequeñas y medianas (SMP) a comprender, navegar y aplicar los estándares revisados, la IFAC realizó una serie de paneles de discusión en video, incluida esta discusión sobre el...

ISQM 1: Primeras lecciones aprendidas y próximos pasos

A finales de 2020, la Junta de Normas Internacionales de Auditoría y Aseguramiento (IAASB) emitió tres normas de gestión de calidad nuevas y revisadas. Con el fin de respaldar la implementación y ayudar a las pequeñas y medianas prácticas (SMP) a comprender, navegar y aplicar los estándares revisados, la IFAC realizó una serie de paneles de discusión en video, incluida esta discusión sobre cómo...

Monica Foerster

Chair

Partner at Confidor, Chair of IFAC's SMP Advisory Group

Monica Foerster became Chair of the IFAC SMP Advisory Group (SMPAG) in 2017, after serving as its Deputy Chair. A SMPAG member since 2014, she was nominated by Conselho Federal de Contabilidade (CFC) and Instituto dos Auditores Independentes do Brasil (IBRACON). With 20 years of experience in the accountancy profession, Ms. Foerster is a partner at Confidor, an accounting, tax, and law firm with offices in Porto Alegre and São Paulo, Brazil.

Monica is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Ibracon Brazil (where she was the SMP Director and coordinator of the SMP Working Group for 6 years), and a board member at the Accounting Council (where she was also the coordinator of the Committee of Audit Studies (CRCRS) for 4 years. 

Monica holds an MBA in financial management, controllership and audit from the FGV – Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brazil, and a degree in accounting from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul – UFRGS, Brazil. 

Alex Peal

Deputy Chair

Alex Peal became a member of the IFAC Small and Medium Practices Advisory Group (SMPAG) in January 2019 having previously served as a technical advisor to the Committee. He was nominated by CCAB in the UK.

Alex is a Partner and Joint Managing Partner at James Cowper Kreston a SMP accounting practice based in London and the South of England. He has over 20 years of experience in the accounting and audit profession and is responsible for a wide ranging portfolio of clients including owner-managed UK companies, not-for-profit entities such as charities and schools and small listed companies. He is an active member of Kreston International and regularly performs quality reviews on behalf of the Kreston network as well as presenting on technical matters at conferences.

Alex is a member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) Audit Faculty Board and attends the ICAEW Technical and Practical Auditing Committee as an alternate. He has delivered lectures and webinars on behalf of ICAEW.

Alex holds a Bachelor of Science degree and is a Fellow of the ICAEW. He also holds the ICAEW Diploma in Charity Accounting.

Danielle Supkis Cheek

Danielle Supkis Cheek, CPA*, CFE, CVA

Danielle Supkis Cheek is the VP, Head of Analytics and AI at Caseware International. Danielle joins Caseware after being the VP of Strategy and Industry Relations at MindBridge.

Danielle earned her Bachelors from Rice University in Houston, TX, and her Master of Science in Accountancy from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.

She is a Certified Public Account (CPA) in the State of Texas, a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA).

Danielle sits on the Technology Experts Group for the International Ethics Standards Board and is the US Representative to the IFAC Small and Medium Practitioners Advisory Group (SMPAG). She is also on the AI Task Forces for Assurance Services Executive Committee (ASEC) and for Professional Ethics Executive Committee (PEEC). She is an at-large member of AICPA Council. She is a past Chair of the PCPS Technical Issues Committee and a past member of the Auditing Standards Board.

Danielle is an 8-time 40 under 40 by the CPA Practice Advisor and was the Houston CPA’s Society’s Distinguished Member to the Profession for 2019. She was also the first woman to receive the AICPA’s Outstanding Young CPA of the Year Award in Honor of Maximo in 2016 and is a 6-time Most Powerful Women in Accounting by CPA Practice Advisor and AICPA.

She is also part-time faculty at Rice University’s Jones School of Business teaching data analytics to the Masters of Accountancy (MAcc) students.

* Licensed only in Texas