ISA 315 (Revised 2019), Identifying and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement, has been revised to include a more robust and consistent risk identification and assessment. The revised standard sets out clarified and enhanced requirements, and enhanced application material, to support the auditor’s risk assessment process, intended to support more focused responses to the auditor’s risk assessment in accordance with ISA 330, The Auditor’s Responses to Assessed Risks.

(New York, NY, December 17, 2019) – The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) today released a Feedback Statement sharing what the Board has heard regarding audits of less complex entities in response of its recent Discussion Paper: Audits of Less Complex Entities (LCEs): Exploring Possible Options to Address the Challenges in Applying the ISAs.

“The extraordinary participation in our consultation and the thoughtful comments we received demonstrate the importance of, and interest in, this initiative, said Tom Seidenstein, Chair of the IAASB.  “We are pleased with the high level of engagement we received on this topic globally, and look forward to further engagement as the IAASB progresses its work in this area.”

The Discussion Paper, and related outreach activities, solicited perspectives of different stakeholder groups on the issues and challenges surrounding the audits of LCEs. Further information gathering activities will continue until June 2020, when the Board will decide the way forward. 

“We have developed this feedback statement to acknowledge the important and constructive input received to date, but also to keep our stakeholders informed about where we are in this important initiative, said Roger Simnett, LCE Working Group Chair. “The IAASB believes that sharing what we have heard will be useful in stimulating further thinking and exploration of this very important topic towards developing recommendations.”

Click here to view the document.

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 the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). For copyright, trademark, and permissions information, please go to permissions or contact permissions@ifac.org. 

Recognizing the need to keep its stakeholders informed of its progress in relation to audits of Less Complex Entities (LCEs), the IAASB published a Feedback Statement that provides an overview of the key messages from the responses to the IAASB’s Discussion Paper (DP), Audits of Less Complex Entities: Exploring Possible Options to Address the Challenges in Applying the ISAs, and related outreach activities.

A global search has begun for highly qualified volunteers to fill seven volunteer openings on the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) as Board Member for an initial term of up to 3 years, commencing January 1, 2021.

As a result of the IAASB’s normal rotation cycle, the current search, being conducted by a nominating committee, is for one public member, one non-practitioner member and five practitioner members. All stakeholders, including the general public, are invited to apply or nominate candidates. 

For public member and non-practitioner vacancies, the nominating committee is interested in candidates from a wide range of relevant backgrounds, including: users of audited financial statements or assurance reports (e.g. institutional investors and analysts, audit committee members, and individuals from the corporate governance community); regulatory and audit inspection or oversight bodies; preparers of financial reports; academics; and individuals in the government sector.

For practitioner vacancies, nominations of candidates from small- and medium-sized practices (SMPs) are strongly encouraged.

Candidates should have experience with auditing and/or assurance issues and sufficient knowledge of the subject matters considered by the IAASB to be important to contribute effectively to the board’s work. English proficiency is essential and gender balance remains an area of focus for the board. Additionally, nominations from currently underrepresented regions (Latin America, Africa and the Middle East), are strongly encouraged.

The IAASB is an independent standard-setting body that serves the public interest by setting, under its own authority, high-quality international standards. The nominations process, with public interest oversight, aims to select the most suitable candidates for the available positions, while also aiming to achieve gender, regional and professional balance.

For more information and to learn how to submit an application before the January 31, 2020 deadline, please visit the nominating committee’s web page.

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s (IAASB) Technology Working Group recently published its second Technology Communiqué (link), which provides an update on the IAASB’s efforts to incorporate the use of technology by auditors in an ever changing audit environment. This communique also includes other relevant news and information relevant to technology.

This Communique does not constitute an authoritative pronouncement of the IAASB, nor does it amend, extend or override the ISAs or other of the IAASB’s International Standards.

To view the Communique, click here.