The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the global organization for the accountancy profession, today released the Guide to Review Engagements. The guide, developed in conjunction with CPA Canada, aims to help professional accountants in practice, especially those operating in small- and medium-sized practices (SMPs), in conducting review engagements in compliance with International Standard on Review Engagements (ISRE) 2400 (Revised), effective for periods ending on or after December 31.

“Many small- and medium-sized entities (SMEs) around the world are not required, or do not elect, to have an audit. They may, however, wish to enhance the credibility of, and confidence in, their unaudited financial statements by having some degree of independent assurance on them,” said SMP Committee Chair Giancarlo Attolini. “A review engagement, which offers limited assurance, may be the ideal solution. The guide can help practitioners prepare themselves to meet the potentially increasing demand in this area.”

To help practitioners develop a deeper understanding of ISRE 2400 (Revised), the guide includes illustrative examples alongside relevant extracts from the standard. It also includes practical points for practitioners’ consideration and tips on how to efficiently implement the standard. Checklists and forms that can be adapted to meet the particular requirements and circumstances of individual review engagements and jurisdictions are also included.

To assist IFAC member organizations, the SMP Committee has also updated its Companion Manual, a supplementary user guide to help organizations understand the various ways they can use, translate, and adapt the committee’s implementation guides.

To download the guide, visit SMP Publications & Resources. See also the article “Review Engagements for SMEs: Limited Assurance, Numerous Benefits,” which was developed to help IFAC members communicate the value of a review engagement and the availability of the guide to their members.

About the SMP Committee
The SMP Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) represents the interests of professional accountants operating in small- and medium-sized practices (SMPs). The committee develops guidance and tools and works to ensure the needs of SMPs are considered by standard setters, regulators, and policy makers. The committee also speaks out on behalf of SMPs to raise awareness of their role and value, especially in supporting SMEs, and the importance of the small business sector overall.

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. It is comprised of 179 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

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Highlights from the IESBA's December 4-6, 2013 meeting in New York, New York.

00:33 Overview 

1:03 Long Association 

2:50 Structure of the Code

6:14 Non-Compliance with Laws and Regulation

10:16 Future Strategy and Work Plan

In today’s global economy, there is strong public interest in high quality, relevant assurance on information beyond the audit or review of financial statements. Recognizing this, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) today released an updated and enhanced International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE), titled ISAE 3000 (Revised), Assurance Engagements Other Than Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information, which addresses a broad range of assurance engagements.

“The importance of relevant and consistent high quality engagements for assurance services cannot be understated. Preparers and users alike already look to the accountancy profession to provide assurance services on an expansive range of information, and this is anticipated to continue to grow. ISAE 3000 (Revised) provides the platform for practitioners to provide such services, and to develop new assurance services over many different subject matters, while enhancing the quality of such engagements,” noted Prof. Arnold Schilder, IAASB Chairman.

ISAE 3000 (Revised) covers a wide variety of engagements, ranging from assurance on statements about the effectiveness of internal control, for example, to assurance on sustainability reports and possible future engagements addressing integrated reporting. The standard covers both reasonable and limited assurance engagements, and introduces guidance designed to help readers better understand these two levels of assurance.

“ISAE 3000 (Revised) is the overarching standard for current and future topic-specific ISAEs and assurance engagements where no separate ISAE exists. As a result, the IAASB’s revision involved striking an appropriate balance between ensuring that the standard is sufficiently robust, and that it is able to also facilitate innovation in the dynamic and evolving field of assurance,” noted James Gunn, IAASB Technical Director.

Accompanying the release of ISAE 3000 (Revised) are conforming amendments to the International Framework for Assurance Engagements; ISAE 3402, Assurance Reports on Controls at a Service Organization; ISAE 3410, Assurance Engagements on Greenhouse Gas Statements; and ISAE 3420, Assurance Engagements to Report on the Compilation of Pro Forma Financial Information Included in a Prospectus.

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).

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. It is comprised of 179 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

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This revised assurance standard deals with assurance engagements other than audits or reviews of historical financial information.

The SMP Committee submitted this comment letter on the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB)'s Auditor Reporting Exposure Draft.

The Notice of the Call for Nominations for the IFAC Board and Committees in 2015 was issued today along with the companion guide, Developing a Nominations Strategy. The Notice of the Call sets out the upcoming opportunities for membership on the Board of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the global organization for the accountancy profession with 179 members and associates in 130 countries, and its Compliance Advisory Panel,  Professional Accountancy Organization Development Committee, Professional Accountants in Business Committee, Small and Medium Practices Committee, and Nominating Committee.

For 2015, there are 29 vacancies on the Board and committees, including two leadership positions—the IFAC deputy president and the chair of the Small and Medium Practices Committee. All vacancies on the Board and committees are open for nominations by IFAC Members.

The Nominating Committee encourages all IFAC Members to review the Notice of the Call, including the detailed information regarding open vacancies, composition targets, specific membership qualifications, and requirements for the Board and each committee. It also offers strategic guidance in selecting candidates, including identifying the most qualified nominee for each available position.

The official Call for Nominations will be issued on January 15, 2014, and nominations may be submitted from January 15 to March 15, 2014. The Notice of the Call is issued in advance of the Call for Nominations to allow sufficient time for stakeholders to prepare for the next nominations cycle.

The Nominating Committee follows an open and transparent process in selecting the best candidates for the available positions while also striving to achieve gender, regional, and professional balance. For more information about the Nominating Committee, its due process, or guidance in selecting the best candidate, please visit the Nominating Committee web page.

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. It is comprised of 179 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

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The Notice of the Call for Nominations for the Independent Standard-Setting Boards in 2015 was issued today. The Notice of the Call sets out the upcoming opportunities for membership on the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB), International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA), and International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB).

To assist nominating organizations and self-nominees, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has published Developing a Nominations Strategy, which was also released today. Along with the Notice of the Call, the document is issued to provide information on the relevant membership qualifications, including the required time commitment and performance expectations for volunteers and to offer strategic and practical guidance in identifying the most qualified candidate for each available position.

For 2015, there are 22 vacancies on the independent standard-setting boards. All vacancies on the boards are open for nominations by all stakeholders, including professional accountancy and international organizations, governmental agencies, firms, and the public. Although each candidate will ultimately be selected on the basis of experience, nominations of highly-qualified candidates from Africa and the Middle East for membership on the IAASB and from Latin America for membership on the IESBA are encouraged.

The official Call for Nominations for the Independent Standard-Setting Boards in 2015 will be issued on January 15, 2014, and nominations may be submitted from January 15 to March 15, 2014. The Notice of the Call is issued in advance of the Call for Nominations to allow sufficient time for all stakeholders to prepare for the next nominations cycle.

The Nominating Committee follows an open and transparent process to select the best candidates for the available positions, while also aiming to achieve gender, regional, and professional balance. For more information about the Nominating Committee, its due process, or guidance in selecting the best candidate, please visit Nominating Committee webpage.

About the IAASB
The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (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).

About the IAESB
The International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB) develops education standards, guidance, and information papers for use by IFAC member bodies under a shared standard-setting process involving the Public Interest Oversight Board, which oversees the activities of the IAESB, and the IAESB 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 IAESB are facilitated by IFAC.

About the IESBA
The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) is an independent standard-setting board that develops and issues, in the public interest, high-quality ethical standards and other pronouncements for professional accountants worldwide. Through its activities, the IESBA develops the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, which establishes ethical requirements for professional accountants. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IESBA are facilitated by IFAC. Please visit www.ethicsboard.org for more information.

About the IPSASB
The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) develops accounting standards and guidance for use by public sector entities. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IPSASB are facilitated by IFAC. The IPSASB receives support (both direct financial and in-kind) from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, the South African Accounting Standards Board, and the governments of Canada, New Zealand, and Switzerland.

About IFAC
The International Federation of Accountants (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. It is comprised of 179 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

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IFAC's Professional Accountancy Organization (PAO) Development and Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committees recently held a landmark joint session while in Beijing, China, for their respective meetings. Hosted by the Chinese Institute of CPAs (CICPA), this seminal session provided an opportunity for the two IFAC committees and an important member body to share objectives and priorities. The session highlighted the mutually reinforcing activities of both groups and underscored the importance of continued collaboration between IFAC committees in working toward a mutual vision. The session also included a presentation by the CICPA, which provided an overview of the steady progress of the profession in China in addition to CICPA’s own experiences and future goals, including continued commitment to the work of IFAC.

Presentation by IFAC senior manager and head of professional accountants in business Stathis Gould at Baruch College’s 6th Annual Symposium on Sustainable Business: Non-Financial and Integrated Reporting in New York. Mr. Gould discusses the role IFAC plays in the global move toward integrated reporting, including IFAC’s participation in the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC).