Only 51% of companies back up their reports on sustainability with assurance, a study of 1,400 companies by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) found, warning that low-quality assurance is an "emerging investor protection and financial stability risk."

Global practices for sustainability reporting and assurance over that information varies widely by jurisdiction, according to a study from IFAC and the AICPA & CIMA (representing the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants).

Sustainability reporting standards, as well as assurance services to verify that reporting, vary widely across jurisdictions and individual practitioners and require better standardization, according to a new report.

In Europe and other parts of the world, many organizations are required to report on ESG information, and a significant portion of ESG assurance is being performed by an audit firm or an affiliated provider, according to The State of Play in Sustainability Assurance: Benchmarking Global Practice, a...