The IESBA is holding interactive global webinars to present the key proposals in the Exposure Drafts on International Ethics Standards for Sustainability Assurance (including International Independence Standards) (IESSA) and Other Revisions to the Code Relating to Sustainability Assurance and Reporting and Using the Work of an External Expert.

The Exposure Draft on IESSA and ethics standards for sustainability reporting proposes a clear framework of expected behaviors and ethics provisions for use by all sustainability assurance practitioners, regardless of their professional backgrounds, as well as professional accountants involved in sustainability reporting. The goal of these standards is to mitigate greenwashing and elevate the quality of sustainability information, thereby fostering greater public and institutional trust in sustainability reporting and assurance.

The Exposure Draft on Using the Work of an External Expert proposes 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 proposals also include provisions to aid in applying the Code’s conceptual framework when using the work of an external expert.

These proposed ethics (including independence) standards are especially relevant in a context where sustainability information is increasingly important for capital markets, consumers, corporations and their employees, governments and society at large, and when assurance providers outside of the accounting profession play a prominent role in sustainability assurance.

The webinars will provide useful information and valuable insight on the proposals in the Exposure Drafts for participants from all stakeholder groups, including regulators, preparers of sustainability information, sustainability assurance practitioners from all backgrounds, and investors.

The webinars will be held in English and available on YouTube following the session.

Webinar for the Using the Work of an External Expert Exposure Draft

Timing: February 22, 7:00 to 8:00 am EST

View the full Webinar

Presenters:

• Laurie Endsley, IESBA Vice Chair and Using the Work of an External Expert Task Force Chair
• Kam Leung, IESBA Principal

Webinars for the Sustainability Exposure Draft

Timing: February 27, 9:00 to 11:00 am EST

Registration link

Presenters:

• Mark Babington, IESBA member and Sustainability Workstream 1 Chair
• Richard Huesken, IESBA member and Sustainability Workstream 2 member
• Laura Leal, IESBA Principal
• Jon Reid, IESBA Principal
• Szilvia Sramko, IESBA Principal

Moderator: Geoff Kwan, IESBA Director

Timing: March 5, 8:00 to 10:00 pm EST

Registration link

Presenters:

• Channa Wijesinghe, IESBA member and Sustainability Workstream 1 member
• Richard Huesken, IESBA member and Sustainability Workstream 2 member
• Laura Leal, IESBA Principal
• Jon Reid, IESBA Principal
• Szilvia Sramko, IESBA Principal

Moderator:  Geoff Kwan, IESBA Director

About the IESBA

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants^® (IESBA^®) is an independent global standard-setting board. The IESBA’s mission is to serve the public interest by setting ethics (including independence) standards as a cornerstone to ethical behavior in business and organizations, and to public trust in financial and non-financial information that is fundamental to the proper functioning and sustainability of organizations, financial markets and economies worldwide.

Along with the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), the IESBA is part of the International Foundation for Ethics and Audit (IFEA). The Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB) oversees IESBA and IAASB activities and the public interest responsiveness of the standards.

The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) today proposed a significant strengthening of its standard on auditors’ responsibilities relating to fraud. Recent corporate failures throughout the world have underscored the benefits of clarifying and enhancing the role of auditors in responding to fraud and suspected fraud as a means of enhancing public trust in financial reporting.

IAASB Chair Tom Seidenstein emphasized that the proposed revisions define the expectations in relation to fraud, delineate more robust procedures, and increase transparency about the auditors’ responsibilities and fraud-related procedures in the auditor’s report. “While many participants in the financial reporting ecosystem, particularly management and those charged with governance, have a role in preventing fraud, our standard focuses on the key role that auditors play. While auditors are not policemen, they can and must play a role in identifying and responding to material misstatements of the financial statements due to fraud and communicating their work to users. This proposed standard is an important step forward,” said Mr. Seidenstein.

Key Changes in the Proposed Revisions
The proposed revisions to International Standard on Auditing 240 (Revised), The Auditor’s Responsibilities Relating to Fraud in an Audit of Financial Statements, include:

1. Clarified auditor responsibilities relating to fraud in an audit.
2. Emphasized professional skepticism to ensure auditors remain alert to possible fraud and exercise professional skepticism throughout an audit.
3. Strengthened identification and assessment of risks of material misstatement due to fraud.
4. Clarified response to fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audit.
5. Increased ongoing communication with management and those charged with governance about fraud.
6. Increased transparency about auditors’ responsibilities and fraud-related procedures in the auditor’s report.
7. Enhanced audit documentation requirements about fraud-related procedures.

Video Series Planned to Facilitate Understanding
During the consultation period, IAASB will release a videos series to help stakeholders understand the proposed revisions and their implications for strengthening the financial reporting ecosystem. Stay updated on upcoming events by following the IAASB on LinkedIn and/or X (formerly Twitter) and register/subscribe to our mailing list.

How to Provide Feedback
The IAASB invites all stakeholder to submit their comments using the Response Template, designed to facilitate a structured response and streamline feedback collation and analysis. Respondents are encouraged to share their insights by June 5, 2024.

About the IAASB
The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board develops auditing, assurance, related services, and quality management standards and guidance in the public interest that support consistent performance of quality engagements. Along with the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants, the IAASB is part of the International Foundation for Ethics and Audit. The Public Interest Oversight Board oversees IAASB and IESBA activities and the public interest responsiveness of the standards. For copyright, trademark, and permissions information, please visit Permissions.

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) today announced a strategic partnership to advance the use of a common framework of high standards of ethical conduct to underpin trust in the assurance of sustainability information.

After extensive engagement over the previous six months, the IAF and the IESBA have agreed to common objectives to support the growth of transparent, relevant, and trustworthy corporate sustainability disclosures. The cornerstone of the partnership is the IAF’s stipulation to national accreditation bodies around the world that the IESBA’s proposed International Ethics Standards for Sustainability Assurance (including International Independence Standards) (IESSA) are to be used when accrediting and authorizing conformity assessment bodies to carry out assurance work on corporate sustainability disclosures.¹ The IESBA recently launched the public consultation on the proposed IESSA and related standards, and is expected to finalize the standards by the end of the year.

Among the key elements of the agreement, both the IAF and the IESBA:

• Recognize the importance of having a global baseline of high-quality ethics (including independence) standards consistently applied by, and enforced on, all providers of assurance services on corporate sustainability disclosures, whether audit firms, conformity assessment bodies or others.
• Agree on the importance of establishing connections between the two organizations and to promote consistent use of a global framework of high-quality ethics standards for sustainability assurance.
• Will collaborate to determine how to incorporate the IESSA as part of the accredited verification activities of ISO/IEC 17029-compliant programs as they apply to assurance of sustainability information.
• Will share strategic insights and perspectives on their respective work as it relates to assurance of corporate sustainability disclosures.
• Will explore collaboration with respect to training activities for accreditation bodies and conformity assessment bodies in relation to the proposed IESSA.

Corporate sustainability disclosures provide stakeholders with vital insights into a company’s sustainability practices. Beyond compliance with evolving regulations and standards, sustainability disclosures offer companies a competitive advantage, attracting socially conscious investors, enhancing brand loyalty, and fostering resilience in the face of environmental and social risks. Assurance of these disclosures plays a crucial role in ensuring trust in reporting, particularly given the subjectivity, prospectivity and immaturity of the data underpinning the disclosures.

“Trustworthy sustainability disclosures are vital in demonstrating a company's commitment to sustainability practices,” said Emanuele Riva, IAF Chair. “Through this partnership, we strive to foster trust and confidence in sustainability reporting worldwide.”

Gabriela Figueiredo Dias, IESBA Chair, said: “A robust, global ethical framework, developed by the IESBA under public oversight and embraced by the IAF, will spur growth in the supply of sustainability assurance practitioners to meet the rapidly increasing market demand for high- quality sustainability information. I am proud of the IESBA and the IAF embarking on this exciting partnership together, which is undoubtedly in the public interest.”

¹when included in the ISO/IEC 17029 programme

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About the International Accreditation Forum (IAF)

The IAF is a global association of accreditation bodies, conformity assessment body associations and other organizations involved in conformity assessment in fields including validation/verification and the certification of management systems, products, processes, services and persons.

The IAF promotes the worldwide acceptance of certificates of conformity and validation/verification statements issued by conformity assessment bodies accredited by IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) signatories, and seeks to add value for all stakeholders through its activities and programs.

About the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA)

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants^® (IESBA^®) is an independent global standard-setting board. The IESBA’s mission is to serve the public interest by setting ethics (including independence) standards as a cornerstone to ethical behavior in business and organizations, and to public trust in financial and non-financial information that is fundamental to the proper functioning and sustainability of organizations, financial markets and economies worldwide.

Along with the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), the IESBA is part of the International Foundation for Ethics and Audit (IFEA). The Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB) oversees IESBA and IAASB activities and the public interest responsiveness of the standards.