The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) today announced plans to revise the International Education Standards (IES) to bring greater focus to sustainability reporting and assurance competence and recognize the evolving role of professional accountants in this important area. IFAC anticipates launching a public consultation on proposed revisions to the standards in Q2 2024, marking a significant milestone for the global accountancy profession’s journey to advance sustainability disclosure standards that respond to the needs of investors and other stakeholders.

Extensive stakeholder outreach and research made it clear that while professional accountants’ skills and training are transferable to sustainability reporting and assurance, there’s a need for a focus on sustainability in the IES. The planned revisions will address this, including revised and new learning outcomes needed for professional development programs to best prepare future and current professional accountants for the increasing demands for sustainability reporting and assurance.

As IFAC commits to revising the IESs, in partnership with the IFAC International Panel on Accountancy Education, it encourages professional accountants to seize the opportunity to enhance their sustainability knowledge and expertise. IFAC CEO Kevin Dancey said, “As sustainability reporting and assurance become mainstream, professional accountants have a unique opportunity to lead and bring value. Professional accountants should begin their journey now to develop or enhance sustainability reporting and assurance abilities. It is imperative that we all commit to personal professional development, ensuring that we are ready to meet the moment with the competence and due care that define our profession.”

Professional accountancy organizations have crucial roles to play helping their members as they transition to increasing market demand for sustainability reporting and assurance. Collective action is needed at the global, regional and local levels to accelerate the pace at which existing knowledge is expanded upon. IFAC encourages its member organizations to enhance current learning requirements with respect to sustainability and to recognize those courses offered by others—including the IFRS Foundation's anticipated eLearning course, which may prove useful to PAOs to offer their members as it is designed to respond to market demand to begin implementing the inaugural IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, IFRS S1 and S2.

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 more than 135 jurisdictions, representing millions of professional accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

About the International Education Standards
The International Education Standards (IESs), issued by the International Federation of Accountants, set forth the principles that professional accountancy organizations should follow to build a national accountancy profession that is fully capable of fulfilling the complex demands economies and societies place on it. The IESs are authoritative and are used by IFAC member organizations when setting education requirements for professional accountants and aspiring professional accountants.

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) has issued guidance to help stakeholders understand how to reference IFRS Accounting Standards to follow recent updates to the IFRS Foundation® Trade Mark Guidelines. The updated IFRS Foundation guidelines require, amongst other things, that International Accounting Standards Board standards, including the International Accounting Standards (IASs) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs), be referred to as “IFRS Accounting Standards”.

The IAASB’s new guidance clarifies how auditors or practitioners should refer to the IFRS Accounting Standards in their reports. The alert also describes changes that the IAASB intends to make to future editions of the IAASB handbook to address existing references to the IASs and IFRSs.

This guidance will help stakeholders understand how to reference IFRS Accounting Standards to follow recent updates to the IFRS Foundation® Trade Mark Guidelines. This guidance clarifies how auditors or practitioners should refer to the IFRS Accounting Standards in their reports.

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), which comprises 180 member organizations and represents millions of professional accountants globally, congratulates the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) on its new standalone standard for audits of less complex entities. The International Standard on Auditing for Audits of Financial Statements of Less Complex Entities, known as the ISA for LCE, is proportionate and tailored to the nature and circumstances of audits of smaller and less complex entities. Built on the foundation of the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs), it contains all the requirements necessary to obtain reasonable assurance.

IFAC CEO Kevin Dancey said: “IFAC has closely engaged with the IAASB throughout development of the ISA for LCE and provided extensive feedback on behalf of practitioners around the world. Our support is driven by the importance of less complex entities to all economies and our consistent understanding of the urgent need for action at the global level to address the significant risk of fragmentation to the international standard-setting ecosystem due to national and regional initiatives.”

Now that the ISA for LCE has been issued, IFAC encourages its member organizations to adopt or advocate for adoption of the ISA for LCE in their jurisdictions or promote voluntary use of the standard. IFAC’s member organizations—professional accountancy organizations (PAOs) around the world—are essential to how international standards are adopted and implemented given their relationships with the regulators and oversight bodies that often have ultimate or shared adoption authority.

In 2024, IFAC will begin gathering data about potential adoption plans and evaluations at the jurisdiction level, with the intention of reporting examples and other relevant data in the future as it does with other international standards and best practices that IFAC member organizations are required to adopt, implement, and report on. IFAC will also continue to closely coordinate with the IAASB on its adoption and implementation activities, including collaborating on global webinars and consideration of any future materials.

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 more than 135 jurisdictions, representing millions of professional accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

In their new joint report, Understanding Whistleblower Protection: Laws, Practices, Trends and Key Implementation Considerations, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) offer evidence-based research and practical perspectives on whistleblower protection legislation.

The report, developed with contributions from the Whistleblowing International Network, provides professional accountancy organizations (PAOs), professional accountants, relevant authorities, and policymakers globally with insights on current issues in adopting and implementing whistleblower protection legislation, and key policy considerations to help ensure that local frameworks are fit for purpose. The report builds off the International Bar Association and Government Accountability Project report published in 2021, Are Whistleblowing Laws Working? A Global Study of Whistleblower Protection Litigation, which highlights challenges to developing and implementing effective whistleblower protection frameworks.

Kevin Dancey, IFAC CEO, said: “Whistleblowers are widely recognized for the pivotal role they play in exposing financial wrongdoing, economic crimes, fraud, and corruption. Robust protection laws are needed to safeguard and support their contributions and promote trust and integrity in the public and private sector. The accountancy profession, with its strong public interest commitment, must champion means of protecting whistleblowers from retaliation and help ensure accountability for wrongdoers to foster ethical and responsible business.”

Pamela Steer, CPA Canada President and CEO, said: “While the significant expansion of legislative activity in this space is encouraging, it’s also evident that whistleblowing laws have generally fallen short in terms of their effectiveness. For whistleblower protection laws to positively contribute to the prevention and detection of corruption worldwide, people need reassurance that laws and practices exist and are working effectively—and this requires continuous transparency, action and education.”

IFAC and CPA Canada are hosting an online launch event on December 12, 2023, from 9:00 -10:30 am EDT to connect with experts about the ever-evolving realm of whistleblower protection legislation. The webinar will provide a platform for experts, policymakers and accountancy and legal professionals to discuss the role of whistleblowers and how they can help address some of the most serious issues facing society. Register today to stay current on this changing landscape.

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 more than 135 jurisdictions, representing millions of professional accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

About CPA Canada
Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada) is one of the largest national accounting organizations in the world, representing the Canadian accounting profession at the national and international levels. With over 220,000 members, CPA Canada supports the profession and acts in the public interest by promoting transparency in financial markets, preparing members for a rapidly evolving business environment and contributing to standard setting and public policy. Domestically, CPA Canada works with the provincial and territorial CPA accounting bodies who have the statutory authority to regulate the profession. Globally, it works together with international bodies to build a stronger accounting profession worldwide. cpacanada.ca