The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) will hold roundtables in Washington (June 11^th), Paris (June 15^th) and Tokyo (July 12^th) to obtain stakeholder feedback on significant public interest topics including non-assurance services (NAS) and the exercise of professional skepticism.

To help shape the future of IESBA’s standard setting, the roundtable consultations will focus on:

Non-Assurance Services (NAS)
To enhance auditor independence, how best to delineate both the boundaries and types of NAS auditors can provide to their audit clients? Auditor independence is critical to public trust in audited financial statements. We’ve launched a NAS initiative to explore broad permissibility under the IESBA’s International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards) (the Code) in response to global regulatory developments and calls from stakeholders and the Public Interest Oversight Board.

Professional Skepticism
How best to meet public expectations for all professional accountants, including auditors, to exercise “professional skepticism”? We’ve launched an initiative to explore: the behavioral characteristics inherent in professional skepticism; whether those characteristics should be applied by all professional accountants; and whether the Code should be further developed.

Save the dates! The roundtables will be held in:

• Washington, D.C., USA on June 11, 2018; 
• Paris, France on June 15, 2018; and 
• Tokyo, Japan on July 12, 2018. 

Would you like to attend?
As space is limited, attendance will be by invitation only. Register your interest (IESBA@ethicsboard.org) by April 30, 2018, indicating your name, job title, organization and preferred location. An invitation will follow shortly!

Who should attend?
Investors, audit committee members, preparers, regulators and audit oversight authorities, academics, national standards setters, firms and IFAC member bodies.

About the IESBA
The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) mission is to serve the public interest by setting ethics standards, including auditor independence requirements, that seek to raise the bar for ethical conduct and practice for all professional accountants (PAs) worldwide through a robust, globally operable International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (Including International Independence Standards) (the Code). Please visit www.ethicsboard.org for more information.

IFAC is excited to launch the 2018 Global SMP Survey! As in past years, your support and promotion to your members is vital to its success, and importantly, provides an opportunity for your members to contribute.

The survey helps your member organization and IFAC gain an understanding of the specific challenges and opportunities faced by SMPs and SMEs and as a result, better serve this critical constituency. Individual country results will be available to enable you to compare to regional and global findings.

The #SMPSurvey is open in 20+ languages until May 21, 2018! This year's survey includes new questions on next generation talent, technology developments, talent management initiatives and marketing and branding.

IFAC Member Organizations can use this toolkit with material to share, and translate - when appropriate - with your members. This includes key messaging, a draft e-mail, social media and a PowerPoint promotion slide.

This short video highlights the key presentation requirements of IPSAS 40 for amalgamations. IPSAS 40 uses the modified pooling of interests method of accounting for amalgamations. Because this approach does not require comparative figures to be restated, the presentation requirements may be different from other versions of the pooling of interests method that entities have used previously.

This video is intended to help users understand the requirements in IPSAS 40.

International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) Emerging Forms of External Reporting (EER) Task Force announces the appointment of 23 individuals to the recently-established EER Assurance Project Advisory Panel.

The Advisory Panel appointees will make a significant contribution to further IAASB’s work on EER assurance. Their involvement will include: 

• advising the EER Task Force on the application of ISAE 3000 (Revised) to EER engagements, and other matters within the scope of the approved Project Proposal, and providing insights into current practice across different jurisdictions and contexts;
• providing input to the development of the non-authoritative guidance that the IAASB plans to issue; and
• providing occasional research input on matters relating to EER assurance engagements.

The Task Force is grateful for all the nominations received. Updates on the Task Force’s work will be made available on the IAASB’s project page as the project progresses.

Founded in March 1978, the IAASB is proud to celebrate its 40^th year serving the public interest! From its inaugural meeting where it discussed plans for the first international auditing guidelines to today where more than 111 jurisdictions use the suite of International Standards on Auditing and Assurance. The IAASB looks forward to continuing its work setting robust global audit and assurance standards and enhancing public confidence in the accountancy profession. Thank you to all our volunteer members and all those that have contributed to IAASB’s success over the decade. Follow our celebration here: @IAASB_News

Photo: Committee Meeting 1978

Photo: Audit Board Meeting 2018

Highlights from the IPSASB's March 6 - 9, 2018 meeting in New York.

• 0:11 -- Welcome and introduction
• 0:46 -- Chair’s meeting overview
• 2:45 -- Public Sector Measurement
• 4:33 -- Financial Instruments
• 6:40 -- Revenue
• 7:54 -- Non-Exchange Expenses
• 9:27 -- Chair’s closing comments
• 10:50 -- Closing remarks

Joseph Bryson is IFAC's former director, Quality & Development, where he oversaw the Member Compliance Program’s development and implementation, the member admissions process, and professional accountancy organization capacity building, guidance, and support for both prospective and existing member organizations.

Mr. Bryson started his career with IFAC in 2008 as the Latin America and the Caribbean regions portfolio manager for the Member Compliance Program and was previously employed in Deloitte Argentina.

He has a Master’s of Business Administration from the Universidad del Centro de Estudios Macroeconómicos de Argentina.

The B20 has tapped IFAC (International Federation of Accountants) as a Network Partner to its Compliance & Integrity taskforce focused on anti-corruption, and has added three IFAC leaders to taskforces on Integrity & Compliance, Financing Growth & Infrastructure, and SME Development.

Corruption undermines sustainable development and corrodes growth on a regional and global scale. In partnership, the B20 and IFAC are committed to anti-corruption efforts and effective policy critical to safeguarding integrity in the financial system.

“Grounded in a strong ethical code, accountants ensure the financial integrity of the organizations in which they work and are critical for the functioning of stable financial markets,” said IFAC CEO, Fayez Choudhury. “We are pleased to partner with the B20 to advance the global fight against corruption and to recognize the vital work being done every day by more than 3 million professional accountants that IFAC represents and supports.”

The B20 also adds to its taskforces three IFAC leaders to provide professional accountancy’s perspective on critical issues:

• Carol Bellringer, IFAC Board Member – Integrity & Compliance
• Dr. Richard Petty, IFAC Board Member – Financing Growth & Infrastructure
• Manoj Fadnis, IFAC SMP Committee Member – SME Development

“Finding real business and policy solutions to issues such as corruption requires input and commitment by leaders across sectors,” said Dr. Daniel Funes de Rioja, B20 Chair. “In developing the private sector’s voice on global issues, the perspective of accountants will prove indispensable in policy proposals to support both business and the public interest.”

With prominent changes in its business environment in recent years, Argentina’s B20 Presidency provides an amplified stage to advocate for the private sector’s role in advancing public interest outcomes that support healthy economies and societies. 

“Tackling corruption is essential to gain and maintain the public’s trust in business and government. We are eager to play a role in the fight against corruption as part of our global profession, and in this important year of Argentina’s G20 Presidency,” said Dr. José Luis Arnoletto, President of the Federación Argentina de Consejos Profesionales de Ciencias Económicas (FACPCE).

The B20 Argentina will focus on a variety of key challenges, including growth and infrastructure financing, promoting investment, ensuring food accessibility and addressing the challenges of the new industrial revolution.

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 over 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 B20
The Business 20 is the private sector´s voice of the G20 community. It addresses global challenges and priorities defined by the G20 countries, by building solid consensus amongst business leaders, international organizations and civil society regarding how they should be approached. With more than 1000 business leaders from 38 countries, the B20 2018 Argentine cycle, has begun discussions regarding relevant topics such as: Digital Economy and Industry 4.0; Trade and Investment; Employment and Education; Financing Growth and Infrastructure; Sustainable Food Systems; Energy, Resource Efficiency and Sustainability; SME Development; and Integrity and Compliance. On the 4^th and 5^th of October, B20 will present its conclusions and policy recommendations to the G20 Leaders in the Buenos Aires Summit.