Professor Mário Vicente Sitoe is the President of Ordem dos Contabilistas  e Auditores de Moçambique (OCAM) and Chief Financial Officer of Petromoc, SA. He is also an assistant professor and lecturer at both Eduardo Mondlane University and Polytechnic University in Mozambique where he teaches graduate students in governance, public administration, taxation, and business ethics. Professor Sitoe holds a Doctorate in Strategic Management from the ISCTE in Lisbon. He is a Certified Accountant and a member of the Ordem dos Contabilistas e Auditores de Moçambique.

The Consultative Advisory Group (CAG) of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) has re-elected Thomas Müller-Marqués Berger as its Chair until June 2023.

In his role as Chair, Mr. Müller-Marqués Berger will continue to lead the IPSASB CAG, which he has done since its inception in June 2016. The CAG is composed of 25 representatives of public and private sector organizations and individuals that 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 advises the IPSASB on technical projects and issues, as well as on its Strategy, adoption of standards, and other pressing issues.

Mr. Müller-Marqués Berger is a distinguished public sector accounting expert. Currently Global Head of International Public Sector Accounting for Ernst & Young, Mr. Müller-Marqués Berger’s deep experience in accounting standard-setting includes chairmanship of the Public Sector Group of Accountancy Europe since 2011, membership of the German Public Sector Committee since 2002, and service to global standard setting as an IPSASB member from 2009–2014.

“I am delighted that Mr. Müller-Marqués Berger will continue to serve as CAG Chair. He has played a key role in the CAG’s development into an influential advisor for the IPSASB. He will be a great asset to both the IPSASB and its CAG as we address the challenges created by the current environment, while continuing to make progress with our wide-ranging work program,” said IPSASB Chair Ian Carruthers. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with Thomas and the CAG.”

“I am very appreciative of the trust CAG members have placed in me, and I believe that the CAG’s journey has just begun,” said Mr. Müller-Marqués Berger. “I am honored to lead this exceptional group of public sector experts as it continues to serve as the IPSASB’s strategic advisor, helping to set priorities and to advance the public interest, especially during this uniquely challenging time. It gives me great pleasure to continue the ongoing partnership with Ian and the IPSASB.”  

About the IPSASB
The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) works to strengthen public financial management globally through developing and maintaining accrual-based International Public Sector Accounting Standards® (IPSAS®) and other high-quality financial reporting guidance for use by governments and other public sector entities. It also raises awareness of IPSAS and the benefits of accrual adoption. The Board receives support from the Asian Development Bank, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, the New Zealand External Reporting Board, and the governments of Canada and New Zealand. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IPSASB 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 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.

Today the IAASB released COVID-19 pandemic-related guidance on auditing accounting estimates and related disclosures. This guidance may help auditors in the current uncertain and evolving environment.

Click here to learn more.

IFAC continues to speak out on behalf of the global accounting profession on the topic of non-financial reporting, most recently in response to the European Commission’s review of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD). This review marks another valuable step in the dialogue and evolution toward relevant, reliable, and comparable reporting of non-financial information. A summary of IFAC’s response is available on its website.

IFAC urges the Commission to adopt a global mindset by engaging input from a broad range of international stakeholders in determining the best way forward.  Steps taken must “fit within” a global system and avoid regional regulatory fragmentation.

Non-financial reporting answers the call from investors and other providers of capital for better, broader information about company performance and prospects for value creation, while also helping identify opportunities to support sustainable—and less carbon-reliant—business models. In the post-COVID world, corporate reporting that reflects the needs of a broad range of stakeholders will be particularly important to communicate on an organization’s performance and priorities.   

As a Network Partner of the B20, IFAC calls on global bodies—including the G20—to encourage policy-makers, standard-setters, and regulators to facilitate harmonization towards a globally-acceptable approach to reporting ESG metrics and disclosures.

IFAC supports reporting requirements that address both societal and company performance impacts and that anticipate the needs of specific markets. Any jurisdiction-specific reporting requirements need to conform with metrics and disclosures that are part of a globally accepted system so that comparability is achieved. 

The accountancy profession is critical to evidence-based decision making, reliable information gathering, and consistent, comparable corporate reporting. Active engagement by the profession on this topic will maximize the benefits of a global solution to non-financial reporting that best serves shareholders and the broader public interest.

As the global voice of the accounting profession, IFAC remains committed to advocating for a comprehensive approach to non-financial reporting through its contributions to global consultations and engagements.

Ruslana Kuzina works as an assistant professor at ONEU. She is also a qualified business coach of international certification programs (CAP/CIPA, ICFM Ukraine, ACCA DipFR). Her professional interests lie in the area of education policy, integrated reporting, and leadership. She also devotes much of her time to assist professional accountancy organizations in bringing professional education in line with the international best practices and modernizing accounting education offered by universities and other providers of accountancy education.

Climate change presents an existential threat for individuals, societies and economies. Compounded by the economic losses that the COVID-19 pandemic presents, there is a need for financial reporting and information that provides a clear, forward-looking, long-term view of an organization’s finances and sustainability – particularly for governments and other public sector entities.

As principles-based standards, governments and public sector entities can apply existing IPSAS literature to report on sustainability issues, including climate change risks, and to communicate progress towards achieving goals such as the SDGs.

To help stakeholders understand how to apply the Board’s current guidance to provide clear, comparable, and relevant information on climate change, the IPSASB Staff have published a Questions & Answers (Q&A) document highlighting the relevant standards and guidance for the public sector. The Staff Q&A addresses key questions such as:

• Is there any existing IPSASB literature relevant to consider for climate change reporting?
• When governments or public sector entities have strategies and programs in place to manage climate change risks, how should these be treated?
• When governments or public sector entities adopt the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), what IPSAS financial reporting guidance should be considered?

The Staff Q&A on Climate Change is intended to help drive transparency and sustainability in reporting on public finances. Further guidance on the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of natural resources is also being considered by the IPSASB as part of its project on Natural Resources.

About the IPSASB
The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) works to strengthen public financial management globally through developing and maintaining accrual-based International Public Sector Accounting Standards® (IPSAS®) and other high-quality financial reporting guidance for use by governments and other public sector entities. It also raises awareness of IPSAS and the benefits of accrual adoption. The Board receives support from the Asian Development Bank, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, the New Zealand External Reporting Board, and the governments of Canada and New Zealand. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IPSASB 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 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.

Arnaud is a founder of his own accountancy firm in France with 6 partners and 150 staff. He has been the Vice-Président of the French Chartered Accountants PAOs for four years and he is now the CEO of Federation Internationale des Experts-Comptables Francophone, or FIDEF, the Fédération of the French-speaking Chartered Accountants and Auditors National Institutes representing 55 member PAOs in 37 countries.