Exploring the IESBA Code - A Focus on Technology looks at challlenges professional accountants might face when applying the conceptual framework of the IESBA Code to technology-related matters.

• 65 organizations today endorse a joint statement calling for stronger alignment of regulatory and standard-setting efforts around sustainability disclosure. 
• They encourage major actors, including the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), the US Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) to continue to work closely together.  
• Capital market participants are supportive of establishing a global baseline of sustainability disclosure requirements, on top of which local jurisdictions can add their own interoperable reporting requirements. 
• Find the full text of the endorsed statement here.

Sixty-five companies, investors and professional accounting firms from across the world add their voices to the call for major standard-setting efforts to more closely align with and support a global baseline for reporting sustainability-related information.

The endorsed statement was developed jointly by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). In addition to formal consultation responses, this public statement makes clear the momentum and encouragement behind stronger alignment between sustainability standard-setting efforts.

Significant efforts by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the European Commission together with the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG), all aim to address the need to enhance and evolve corporate reporting to include and consider sustainability information. However, current draft standards and initiatives are not technically compatible in terms of concepts, terminologies, and metrics.

As these proposed sustainability-related disclosure requirements are refined and finalized, leading financial market participants are asking financial market regulators to avoid regulatory and standard setting fragmentation by aligning on key concepts, terminologies, and metrics on which disclosure requirements are built.

A comprehensive global baseline of sustainability disclosures is required for reporting entities to avoid undue burden and for investors to make investment decisions that truly contribute to sustainable outcomes.

A globally consistent, comparable, reliable, and assurable corporate reporting system is indispensable in providing all stakeholders with a clear and accurate picture of an organization’s ability to create sustainable value over time.

The endorsed statement released today is signed by:  

• Achmea Investment Management
• ADM
• Arçelik Global
• Assicurazioni Generali
• Ayala Corporation
• Baloise Asset Management
• BCSD Taiwan X Taiwan Sustainable Finance Platform
• BDO
• Beach Point Capital Management
• Borealis Group
• Boston Trust Walden
• Brunel Pension Partnership
• Bühler Group                                                                                                    
• Calvert Research and Management
• CentraRSE
• Dalton Investments
• Dana Investment Advisors
• DBS Group
• de Pury Pictet Terrettini
• Deloitte
• Desjardins Global Asset Management
• DNV
• East Capital Group
• Ecofi
• EFG Asset Management
• EmergeVest
• Empresas CMPC S.A.
• ENI S.p.A.
• Equitile Investments
• Ernst & Young Global Limited
• Etica Funds – Responsible Investments
• Future Super
• GAM Investments
• Grant Thornton International, Ltd.
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise
• HÖ Sabanci Holding
• Holcim Ltd
• Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
• Ingka Group
• Investment Management Corporation of Ontario
• Kieger
• KPMG International
• Lyrical Asset Management
• Mercedes-Benz Group AG
• Nestlé
• Newton Investment Management
• Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committeee
• Octagon Credit Investors
• Öhman Fonder
• Olam Food Ingredients
• Pegaso Pension Fund
• Perennial Investment Management
• PKA
• PwC
• Rathbones Group
• Resona Asset Management
• Responsible Investment Association Australia
• Royal DSM
• SABIC
• SCG
• Shell plc
• STAR Capital Partnership
• Swisscanto by Zürcher Kantonalbank
• Tareno AG
• Webster Equity Partners
• Wespath Benefits and Investments

Find the full text of the endorsed statement here and a PDF version of the statement here.

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 135 jurisdictions, representing more than 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

About PRI
The Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is the world’s leading proponent of responsible investment. Supported by the United Nations, it works to understand the investment implications of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and to support its international network of investor signatories in incorporating these factors into their investment and ownership decisions. The PRI acts in the long-term interests of its signatories, of the financial markets and economies in which they operate and ultimately of the environment and society as a whole. Launched in New York in 2006, the PRI has grown to more than 5,000 signatories, managing over US$121 trillion. For more information visit www.unpri.org

About the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)  
WBCSD is the premier global, CEO-led community of over 200 of the world’s leading sustainable businesses working collectively to accelerate the system transformations needed for a net zero, nature positive, and more equitable future. We do this by engaging executives and sustainability leaders from business and elsewhere to share practical insights on the obstacles and opportunities we currently face in tackling the integrated climate, nature and inequality sustainability challenge; by co-developing “how-to” CEO-guides from these insights; by providing science-based target guidance including standards and protocols; and by developing tools and platforms to help leading businesses in sustainability drive integrated actions to tackle climate, nature and inequality challenges across sectors and geographical regions. 

Our member companies come from all business sectors and all major economies, representing a combined revenue of more than USD $8.5 trillion and 19 million employees. Our global network of almost 70 national business councils gives our members unparalleled reach across the globe. Since 1995, WBCSD has been uniquely positioned to work with member companies along and across value chains to deliver impactful business solutions to the most challenging sustainability issues.

Together, we are the leading voice of business for sustainability, united by our vision of a world in which 9+ billion people are living well, within planetary boundaries, by mid-century. 

www.wbcsd.org 

Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn  

Today, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) unveiled a new online resource providing unprecedented access to the international standards that support and distinguish the accountancy profession. eIS, short for e-International Standards, provides direct access to the standards developed by the International Audit and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA), and the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB), alongside key support, reference, and guidance materials, available to contextualize the language and provide enhanced transparency.

“Rooted in our commitment to the public interest, this platform responds to stakeholder needs by making international standards and their accompanying resources accessible and easy to use,” said Kevin Dancey, CEO of IFAC. “As we continue to focus on modern approaches and the use of technology to enhance our profession, the development of eIS was a natural next step in supporting our members around the world, and the 3.5 million professional accountants they represent.”

IFAC worked together with the standard-setting boards to develop a better way to access the standards. Through surveys and conversations with key stakeholders, IFAC identified the key elements required to deliver a modern platform allowing the profession easier access to international standards, while providing enhanced functionality in how the standards are used.

eIS features include:

• a responsive design that can be used on mobile, tablet and desktop;
• advanced and intuitive search capabilities;
• easy access to related resources;
• easy pop-up access to references;
• version control functionality; and
• easy-to-navigate pages with multiple viewing modes.

Learn more about eIS here or visit the platform today: eis.international-standards.org

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 135 countries and jurisdictions, representing more than 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

As the global voice of the accountancy profession, IFAC releases Points of View (POVs) on key policy issues impacting the accounting profession and the whole of society. These POVs are well-researched tools available for anyone to use in gaining an understanding of crucial topics affecting our world and potentially influencing policies that affect us all.

To make its POVs more accessible to its global constituency and their stakeholders, IFAC has published all seven of its POVs, originally only available in English, into four additional languages: Arabic, French, Russian, and Spanish.

"From improving public sector transparency with data-driven decisions to providing investors with high-quality and trustworthy sustainability information, these POVs cover a broad range of topics of critical importance to professional accountants worldwide,” said Kevin Dancey, IFAC CEO. “These translations will improve the ability of professional accountants to make an impact in their companies and jurisdictions.”

The topics covered in the POVs are:

Enhancing Corporate Reporting: Corporate reporting should capture all relevant information about organizations. However, investors and other stakeholders are demanding more, higher-quality information and insights about company performance, risks, opportunities, and long-term prospects, especially with respect to sustainability-related matters, than are available from the conventional financial reporting process.

Greater Transparency and Accountability in the Public Sector: This POV explores how governments can use the resources they have to have to make informed, data-driven decisions with strong governance and public financial management (PFM) and how the accountancy profession can work with the public sector to help deliver a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future for all. 

Embracing a People-Centered Profession: The accountancy profession is first and foremost a profession made of people—individuals and teams working collaboratively and collectively. This POV explores the connection between the people in the accountancy profession, the core components of the profession (education, professional judgment, ethics, values) and the profession’s commitment to the public interest.

Maintaining Trust & Confidence During a Crisis: Maintaining trust and confidence during a crisis is the fastest path to recovery after a crisis. This POV explores the key roles that regulators, the global accounting profession and those charged with governance have to play in maintaining trust.

Achieving High-Quality Audits: High-quality audits of financial statements are essential to strong, sustainable organizations, financial markets and economies. All participants in the audit and assurance ecosystem must act to improve the audit process, and we outline how.

Climate Action: Climate change is an urgent, global, and systemic issue that can threaten the sustainability of organizations, markets, and economies. This POV outlines how to embrace climate action and be part of the solution.

Fighting Corruption and Money Laundering: The consequences of corruption are significant and widespread, from direct costs to individuals and society, to encouraging criminal behavior and undermining trust in institutions. Grounded in a strong ethical code, professional accountants across the globe play a critical role in the fight against corruption.

Access the POVs here in each language.

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 135 countries and jurisdictions, representing more than 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

In 2025, governments in 50% of jurisdictions will report on an accrual basis, according to a report released today by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). The report was drawn from the International Public Sector Financial Accountability Index, which captures current and future use of public financial reporting bases and frameworks by governments around the world.

The 2021 Index Status Report, which captures information from 165 jurisdictions, finds that while 30% of their governments reported on an accrual basis in 2020 (an increase of 6% since 2018), 50% will report on accrual by the end of 2025. Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean will lead the projected increase in accrual adoption over the coming five years.

By providing a comprehensive view of government finances, accrual reporting helps ensure that expenditure of public funds is transparent, public officials are held accountable, and future liabilities are recognized officially and planned for properly. With governments under more financial strain than ever following the huge levels of pandemic-related expenditure, understanding the overall picture and making the best use of the remaining resources is crucial to long-term recovery. In addition to the support of regional and international organizations, effective implementation of accrual accounting relies on the skills of public sector accountants to interpret the richer, more comprehensive data; as more governments move to accrual, the need for need for public sector accountants will increase correspondingly.

“Accrual-based accounting is essential in helping governments mitigate corruption, improve trust and transparency, and deliver desired outcomes that their communities deserve and need in the post-pandemic world,” said Rob Whiteman, Chief Executive of CIPFA.

Public financial reporting frameworks are developed in various ways, with many using International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). IPSAS provide high quality financial reporting guidance for governments and other public bodies around the world, in order to improve their consistency and transparency. 57% of governments that reported on an accrual basis in 2020 used IPSAS directly, indirectly, or as a reference point. By the end of 2025, nearly three-quarters (73%) of governments that report on accrual will use IPSAS in one of these three ways.

“This continuing shift from cash to accrual reporting in the public sector, and increased usage of IPSAS in particular, will be crucial to governments globally in making the tough choices they face following the pandemic. Professional accountants have a critical role to play in delivering the full potential benefits for citizens worldwide in terms of decision making, transparency, and accountability,” said Kevin Dancey, IFAC CEO.

IFAC and CIPFA plan to expand the Index progressively in terms of both coverage and information depth and provide periodic status reports throughout this crucial uptake period for accrual financial reporting globally.

Access the 2021 Status Report.

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 more than 175 members and associates in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing almost 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

About CIPFA

CIPFA, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, is the professional body for people in public finance. CIPFA shows the way in public finance globally, standing up for sound public financial management and good governance around the world as the leading commentator on managing and accounting for public money. 

This third edition of the guide features enhancements to the two sample manuals, as well as other refinements for clarity and consistency with International Standard on Quality Control (ISQC) 1. The guide contains the requirements set out in ISQC 1 in addition to implementation guidance, including discussion material and an integrated case study that can be used as the basis for education and training.

The 2025 handbook incorporates the tax planning pronouncement that became effective for tax planning services and activities beginning after June 30, 2025.

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) today released the 2025 Handbook of the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards). This handbook incorporates the tax planning pronouncement that became effective for tax planning services and activities beginning after June 30, 2025.

The back of Volume 1 of the 2025 Handbook contains the IESBA-approved revisions to the Code addressing Using the Work of an External Expert as well as Sustainability Reporting-related Revisions. These revisions will become effective December 2026.

The new Volume 2 of the IESBA Handbook contains the International Ethics Standards for Sustainability Assurance (including Independence Standards) and Other Revisions to the Code Relating to Sustainability Assurance and the provisions addressing Using the Work of an External Expert. These provisions become effective December 2026, except for certain independence provisions relating to value chain, which become effective July 2028.

Click here to learn more about the IESBA Code.

Reproducing and Translating the IESBA Handbook

To help adoption and implementation of the IESBA standards, stakeholders are invited to submit requests for permission to reproduce or translate the IESBA Handbook via the Online Permissions Requests or Inquiries system on the IFAC website.

About 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 high-quality, international 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, the IESBA is part of the International Foundation for Ethics and Audit. The Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB) oversees IESBA and IAASB activities and the public interest responsiveness of the standards.