This publication provides guidance to assist professional accountants in business and in public practice determine when there might be a need to use the services of a specialist to assist in performing specific tasks and other professional activities within their employing organizations, and in serving their clients in the COVID-19 environment. The publication also highlights relevant ethical considerations for accountants when thinking about using a specialist, as well as circumstances that indicate a need for a specialist during an audit of financial statements.

The purpose of these revisions to the Code are to better promote the role and mindset expected of all professional accountants.

The revisions explicitly recognize that the accountancy profession is entrusted with public confidence in the wide-ranging roles it plays in society and that such confidence is based on the skills and values it brings to its professional activities. Importantly, they reaffirm the profession’s responsibility to act in the public interest and the fundamental role of the Code in meeting that responsibility.

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) Technology Group Phase One Report explores the ethical implications of technology on the accounting, assurance, and finance functions.

The Report is the culmination of work the global ethics standards setting board initiated in recognition of the pace and magnitude of change caused by disruptive technological innovations.

The 2018 IESBA Handbook contains the entire International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, including International Independence Standards.

For information on recent developments and to obtain final pronouncements issued subsequent to July 2016, visit the IESBA’s website. 

The handbook is available in print for US $75.00 (plus shipping & handling). Order print copies using the Purchase button.

The objectives of the workstream is to examine the evolving role of CFOs (or equivalent senior finance roles) within the private or public sector, and identify and understand the ethics issues and challenges faced by professional accountants in business (PAIBs) serving in that role, as well as non-professional accountants (non-PAs) who serve in the same role.

Project Team

Jon Reid

The objective of the Project Team is to undertake fact-finding with a view to establishing a basis for a recommendation to the IESBA as to