Ethics in Sustainability Reporting and Assurance - IESBA and CPA Australia

Led by Gabriella Figueiredo Dias, Chair of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA), the session delves into the development of proposed international ethics and independence standards tailored for sustainability assurance (referred to as Part 5 of the Code). The speakers discuss the rationale behind these new standards, citing the unique nature of sustainability information, often forward-looking, judgement-based, and subject to greater risk of greenwashing and ethical ambiguity.

The discussion also delves into the need for globally consistent ethics frameworks in line with other sustainability and assurance standards, challenges of value chain assurance and scope 3 emissions and ethical considerations in the use of experts and AI-generated data. Furthermore, the speakers discuss the importance of professional judgment, public interest, and transparency in sustainability disclosures and independence requirements and long association rules from financial auditing being adapted for sustainability contexts.

Speakers

• Gary Pflugrath Senior Executive Advisor, Stakeholder Engagement & Policy, CPA Australia
• Gabriella Figueiredo Dias Chair, International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA)
• Channa Wijesinghe CEO, Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board (APESB)
• Michael Bray Professor of Practice (Integrated Reporting) at Deakin University and Special Advisor Connectivity and Integrated Reporting, IFRS Foundation
• Terence Jeyaretnam APAC Leader, Climate Change & Sustainability Services, EY and Board member of the AUASB
• Patrick Viljoen ESG Lead at CPA Australia
• Geoffrey Kwan Director, International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA)
• Ram Subramanian Interim Head of Policy and Advocacy, CPA Australia (Moderator)