This Basis for Conclusions pertains to the Using the Work of an External Expert Final Pronouncement, which provides an ethical framework to guide professional accountants or sustainability assurance practitioners, as applicable, in evaluating whether an external expert has the necessary competence, capabilities and objectivity in order to use that expert’s work for the intended purposes. The standard also include provisions to aid in applying the Code’s conceptual framework when using the work of an external expert.

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants® (IESBA®) has revised its Code of Ethics to include specific, fit-for-purpose ethics provisions for preparers of sustainability disclosures in the public interest. Learn more about these changes in this high-level summary.

This IAASB fact sheet provides an overview and highlights of the International Standard on Sustainability Assurance (ISSA) 5000, General Requirements for Sustainability Assurance Engagements. It includes who the standard applies to, what it covers, and what the standard provides to practitioners, stakeholders, and those who rely on reported sustainability disclosures for decision making.

The IAASB developed this guide to provide practical non-authoritative guidance intended to assist practitioners in conducting assurance engagements in accordance with International Standard on Sustainability Assurance (ISSA) 5000, General Requirements for Sustainability Assurance Engagements (ISSA 5000).

The IAASB's ISSA 5000, along with the IESBA's IESSA and other sustainability-related standards, constitute a cohesive package of global standards for sustainability assurance that responds to market demand and calls from regulators and other stakeholders for reliable, credible, comparable, and trustworthy sustainability information.