In light of the continuing constraints stakeholders are experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IESBA is extending the closing date for responses to its Technology Surveys to November 25, 2020.

Earlier last month, the IESBA’s Technology Task Force launched two online surveys to seek stakeholder input on key ethical questions arising from technology developments in relation to:

• Technology and complexity in the professional environment; and
• The impact of technology on auditor independence.

Responses to the surveys will help guide the IESBA’s consideration of next steps in relation to these two topics at its December 2020 Board meeting.

How to Participate

Click on the links below to respond to each survey by November 25, 2020.

• Technology and complexity in the professional environment; and
• The impact of technology on auditor independence.

Alternatively, stakeholders may also elect to participate by completing the PDF questionnaires.

Please contact KamLeung@ethicsboard.org if you are experiencing any difficulties or have any questions.

About the IESBA

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) is an independent global standard-setting board. The IESBA serves the public interest by setting ethics standards, including auditor independence requirements, which seek to raise the bar for ethical conduct and practice for all professional accountants through a robust, globally operable International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards).

The IESBA believes a single set of high-quality ethics standards enhances the quality and consistency of services provided by professional accountants, thus contributing to public trust and confidence in the accountancy profession. The IESBA sets its standards in the public interest with advice from the IESBA Consultative Advisory Group (CAG) and under the oversight of the Public Interest Oversight Board.

As the global accountancy profession began adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, IFAC (the International Federation of Accountants) convened a series of roundtable discussions to understand the implications of the pandemic for professional accountants and leaders, and how their experiences will affect the future of accountancy and accountancy skills.

Today, IFAC published a summary of these findings, Accountancy Skills Evolution: Impact of COVID-19 & the Path Forward. This whitepaper outlines the key themes our stakeholders shared, including accelerated ways of working, impact of technology, practices that align to new societal demands, and the right balance of skills, which collectively illustrate a roadmap for the professional accountant.

The roundtable discussions and emerging themes also influenced the structure and content of the upcoming virtual global summit, The Anticipatory Accountant: Global Trends Transforming Learning & Development. The summit, which features world-renowned futurist Daniel Burrus and special guest Tom Hood, continues these conversations and focuses on three broad themes: technology, the environment, and society.

This is the eleventh installment of a 12-month publication series titled Exploring the IESBA Code. This installment addresses bias and the role and mindset of the professional accountant. 

To view all installments of Exploring the IESBA Code, visit the series landing page here.

For more information about the Code, click here.