The endorsement by International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) of IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards S1 and S2, and its call to action to its member jurisdictions, are most welcome developments in the ever-important sustainability space.
We commend the IFRS Foundation, the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), and IOSCO who are dedicated to maintaining fair, efficient and transparent markets. Promoting consistent and comparable climate-related and other sustainability-related information is an important component of this work.
As sustainability reporting becomes increasingly mandatory in some jurisdictions, the focus must turn quickly to mandatory assurance. Without it, the quality of sustainability reporting will lag financial reporting, and there will continue to be issues with greenwashing, reliability, and credibility. The accountancy profession, underpinned by its Code of Ethics, is particularly well placed to provide assurance services across both sustainability and financial disclosure.
IFAC CEO Kevin Dancey said, "IFAC applauds IOSCO’s endorsement of IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards S1 and S2, and its call to action to its member jurisdictions. These are important and most welcome developments. Now, the focus must turn quickly to sustainability assurance. IFAC remains committed to advancing these important conversations with our many global stakeholders, including with our 180 member organizations that represent millions of professional accountants all around the world."
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.