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Public Interest Responsibilities Must Remain Paramount
In The Age Of COVID-19 - A
Statement From The International Federation of Accountants
While the long-lasting societal and economic
implications of CV-19 have yet to be fully realized, we have already begun to see the toll on
the global financial ecosystem. Economic crises have historically served as a powerful catalyst for financial malfeasance, and this risk is no
different in the current environment.
All professional accountants need to be attuned to this heightened risk and continue to
exercise high levels of diligence, integrity, and
professional judgment. The International Code
of Ethics for professional accountants, including International Independence Standards, establishes the standard of behaviour expected
of a professional accountant. That is our public
interest responsibility.
Professional accountants -- whether serving as
members of a board or audit committee, organizational leaders, preparers or auditors --
are critical to the financial reporting ecosystem.
And while it is not possible for our profession
to prevent corporate failures, it is our responsibility to continue to provide fair and reliable
financial reporting and disclosures that appropriately incorporate our best judgments, estimates, and assessments as well as being alert
to the increased risk of fraud and financial misrepresentation.
In such a fast-changing and uncertain environment, management and board members, with
their ultimate responsibility for preparing and
overseeing financial reporting and communication, are urged to continually maintain an
effective control environment, which will likely
change or has changed as a result of adapting
operating environments to remote working and
other CV-19 demands. Auditors, likewise, should
focus on the implications of any such changes to the control environment and any new or
changed risks, and adapt their audit approaches accordingly to obtain sufficient appropriate
audit evidence on which to base their opinions.
Because of the unprecedented nature of CV-
19, greater transparency and disclosure of forward-looking information on an organization’s
operating performance, financial position, liquidity and future prospects are more critical
than ever even though current circumstances
make this more challenging. Professional accountants in business need to make reasonable, good-faith judgments in the context, and
on the basis
of, information currently available. Transparency on known and material uncertainties, as
well as robust processes and documentation
supporting such disclosures, will help promote
sound decisions, and auditors’ assessments
thereon, that will stand the test of time. Importantly, this will also enable investors and
creditors to make the most informed decisions
possible.
Professional accountants also need to play
a pivotal role in ensuring the continued ability of organizations to be resilient to the significant challenges they face in these difficult
times. This applies to all organizations—big and
small---across all sectors of the economy, and
involves helping organizations focus on good
governance, sound strategy and strengthening
their business models. |
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Auditor independence is the cornerstone on
which the auditing profession has been built
and, indeed enables the auditor to appropriately discharge his/her duties to clients and the
public at large. The key characteristics of this independence are the state of mind and appearance of the auditor. These must include integrity, strength of character to stand up for what
is right and freedom from any undue influence.
These character attributes must not only exist
in an auditor but must be visible. Independence
of every auditor is as important in fact, as it is
in perception. The writer highlights the institutional and legal framework that must support
the true independence of the Auditor- General
for him/her to perform his/her job successfully
to benefit the entire society.
Many studies have presented powerful empirical evidence on the economic and social costs
of corruption. They have shown how corruption hinders investments (both domestic and
foreign), reduces growth, restricts trade, distorts the size and composition of government
expenditure, weakens financial systems and
crumbles the entire economy. Most importantly, a strong connection has been demonstrated between corruption and increasing levels of
poverty and income inequality. The experience
of the developing countries strongly supports
these findings. The writer emphasizes how corruption contributes extensively to high cost of
government projects and expenditure which
vary as a result of different patterns of corruption. The cost of administrative corruption is
mutually reinforcing and is itself influenced by
a range of other factors. The fiscal distortions
caused by corruption, for example, erode the
quality of government services, with dire consequences to the poor |
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