Today, IFAC released a Point of View: Greater Transparency and Accountability in the Public Sector. 

The public sector is facing a myriad of competing priorities, including an unprecedented global health crisis and climate emergency, and must make critical decisions that will affect generations to come. In this environment, helping citizens understand how public funds are being managed and spent, as well as the reasoning behind and consequences of decisions made, can meet the heightened need for transparency and accountability necessary to retain and grow stakeholder trust.

IFAC’s Point of View explores the need for strong governance and public financial management (PFM), so that governments and public sector entities around the world can make informed, data-driven decisions for people, the planet, and the economy. It also outlines how the accountancy profession, with its public interest mandate, can support the public sector in achieving long-term financial sustainability and resilience, to help create a better world with stronger economies and fairer societies.

“Our latest POV focuses on actionable steps that professional accountants in the public sector can take to foster trust and increase resilience globally,” said Kevin Dancey, IFAC CEO. “Calls for transparency and accountability in the public sector are not new, but we have outlined systems, processes, and practices the public sector can integrate to achieve the strong financial management necessary to build a sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous future for all of us.”

Read IFAC’s latest POV 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 countries and jurisdictions, representing more than 3 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The IAASB in collaboration with IFAC invite you to join the upcoming quality management webinars, Resourcing for Quality Management on July 29 from 11 am–12 pm GMT and Your Firm’s Monitoring & Remediation Process on August 5 from 11 am–12 pm GMT. Both webinars will be held on Zoom with livestreaming on IAASB’s YouTube channel.

ISQM 1 is part of the IAASB’s suite of quality management standards, issued in late 2020. The standards strengthen and modernize how firms approach quality management. They also mark an evolution from a traditional, more linear approach for quality control to an integrated quality management approach. These webinars address how firms can resources appropriately and establish monitoring and remediation processes to align with the requirements in International Standard on Quality Management 1, Quality Management for Firms that Perform Audits or Reviews of Financial Statements, or Other Assurance or Related Services Engagements.

The webinars will be held in English and available on YouTube following the session. Participants joining live via Zoom will be able to submit questions.

• Webinar Two: Resourcing for Quality Management
  • July 29, 11 am–12 pm GMT
  • Featuring IAASB members Josephine Jackson and Sue Almond and Deputy Director Natalie Klonaridis
  • Discussion will include references to the requirements of International Standard on Auditing 220, Quality Management for an Audit of Financial Statements
  •  Register Now
• Webinar Three: Your Firm’s Monitoring & Remediation Process
  • August 5, 11 am–12 pm GMT
  • Featuring IAASB member Chun Wee Chiew, technical advisor Denise Weber and Deputy Director Natalie Klonaridis
  • Register Now

The recording from the first webinar in this series, Your Firm’s Risk Assessment Process, is available on YouTube. You are also invited to the final webinar in the series:

• Webinar Four: Bringing it All Together: Exploring all the Components of a Quality Management System
  • August 18, 11 am–12 pm GMT
  • Featuring IAASB members Julie Corden and Sachiko Kai and Deputy Director Natalie Klonaridis
  • Register Now

Looking for additional resources on the suite of quality management standards? Check out the IAASB’s dedicated web page: iaasb.org/quality-management

IFAC is committed to supporting our member organizations and the development, adoption, and implementation of high-quality international standards.

Company-reported information about sustainability factors is becoming mainstream—through increased voluntary disclosure as well as through new jurisdiction-specific rules. Investors, as well as other stakeholders, need to have trust and confidence in this information through external assurance—just like financial information.

Global practices for sustainability assurance—including the prevalence of assurance, level of assurance, and standard and practitioner used—varies widely by jurisdiction, according to a new study from the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the AICPA & CIMA (representing the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants). The new study is a groundbreaking review that provides a comprehensive global picture of the current status of assurance. The study further contextualizes this analysis with data on how and where sustainability-related information is reported, and how this relates to assurance practices.

As the drive toward a global system for sustainability-related reporting continues, investors, regulators and policymakers are turning their attention to the important role of assurance in promoting high-quality reporting. With the growing importance of—and reliance on—sustainability information, low-quality assurance is an emerging investor protection and financial stability risk.

“The global community needs to consider many complex questions—should reporting sustainability information be required? If so, should assurance be required, and by whom? With this new data in hand, IFAC is initiating evidence-based conversations with our member organizations and other global stakeholders to advance the global debate and help plot the way forward in the public interest,” said IFAC CEO Kevin Dancy. “We will continue our commitment to this space as the reporting and assurance landscape evolves.”

“Companies that publish sustainability information that is subject to assurance by professional accountants have an opportunity to bring trust and reliability to their sustainability information. Engaging a licensed professional accountant who possesses the right combination of professional skills, qualifications, experience and is subject to independence, ethical and monitoring requirements can result in truly meaningful assurance and transparency,” said Susan S. Coffey, CPA, CGMA, CEO of Public Accounting at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. “As it stands, only around half of the companies reviewed in this study publish sustainability information that is subject to any assurance.”

The full study is available on the IFAC website. For more information on AICPA & CIMA sustainability resources for the accountancy profession, please visit:

• Public accounting resources
• Management accounting resources

About the Study
IFAC and AICPA-CIMA partnered with Audit Analytics to understand the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting and assurance practices on a global basis by capturing reports containing ESG information in 22 jurisdictions. 100 companies were reviewed from each of the largest six economies, with 50 companies reviewed in the remaining 16 jurisdictions. Full methodology is available in the study.

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.

About the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, and AICPA & CIMA
The Association of International Certified Professional Accountants^® (the Association), representing AICPA^® & CIMA^®, advances the global accounting and finance profession through its work on behalf of 696,000 AICPA and CIMA members, students and engaged professionals in 192 countries and territories. Together, we are the worldwide leader on public and management accounting issues through advocacy, support for the CPA license and specialized credentials, professional education and thought leadership. We build trust by empowering our members and engaged professionals with the knowledge and opportunities to be leaders in broadening prosperity for a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future.

As the drive toward a global system for sustainability-related reporting continues, investors, regulators and policymakers are turning their attention to the important role of assurance in ensuring high-quality reporting. With the growing importance of—and reliance on—sustainability information, low-quality assurance is an emerging investor protection and financial stability risk.

We applaud the Commission’s leadership in prompting this important conversation. A building blocks approach provides the architecture for a global system that enables comprehensive corporate reporting for capital markets while also addressing country-specific requirements. As policymakers consider the best way forward for crafting an emerging global system for climate and other sustainability-related disclsures, support from the U.S.

IFAC's Financial Statements are prepared in accordance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and include an independent auditor’s report.

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. 

The IAASB in collaboration with IFAC invite you to join our quality management webinar series on June 24, July 29, and August 5 and 18 on Zoom with livestreaming on the IAASB’s YouTube channel. The webinars will take a deep dive into aspects of the IAASB’s International Standard on Quality Management 1, Quality Management for Firms that Perform Audits or Reviews of Financial Statements, or Other Assurance or Related Services Engagements.

ISQM 1 is part of the IAASB’s suite of quality management standards, issued in late 2020. The standards strengthen and modernize how firms approach quality management. They also mark an evolution from a traditional, more linear approach for quality control to an integrated quality management approach.

The webinars will be held in English and will be available on the IAASB’s YouTube Channel following the session. Participants joining live via Zoom will be able to submit questions.

• Webinar One: All You Need to Know about the Firm’s Risk Assessment Process
  • June 24, 11 am–12 pm GMT
  • Featuring IAASB members Julie Corden and Chun Wee Chiew and IAASB Deputy Director Natalie Klonaridis
  • Register Now
• Webinar Two: Resources: Expectations for Firms and Engagement Partners
  • July 29, 11 am–12 pm GMT
  • Featuring IAASB members Josephine Jackson and Sue Almond and IAASB Deputy Director Natalie Klonaridis
  • Discussion will include the linkage between ISQM 1 and  International Standard on Auditing 220 (Revised), Quality Management for an Audit of Financial Statements
  • Register Now
• Webinar Three: What’s New for Firms’ Monitoring and Remediation Processes
  • August 5, 11 am–12 pm GMT
  • Featuring IAASB member Chun Wee Chiew,  IAASB technical advisor Denise Weber, and IAASB Deputy Director Natalie Klonaridis
  • Register Now
• Webinar Four: Bringing it All Together: Exploring all the Components of a Quality Management System
  • August 18, 11 am–12 pm GMT
  • Featuring IAASB members Julie Corden and Sachiko Kai and IAASB Deputy Director Natalie Klonaridis
  • Register Now

This webinar series is part of the IAASB’s implementation support efforts. Looking for additional resources on the suite of quality management standards? Check out the IAASB’s dedicated web page: iaasb.org/quality-management

IFAC is committed to supporting our member organizations and the development, adoption, and implementation of high-quality international standards.

On Tuesday, June 1 at 9 AM EDT, as part of the United Nations Special Session of the General Assembly Against Corruption (#UNGASS), the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the International Bar Association (IBA) will be co-hosting the event Independent Professions Fighting Corruption, a live virtual roundtable discussion about how the legal and accountancy professions fight corruption and promote the rule of law.

The global legal and accountancy professions are vital allies in the fight against corruption, in every country around the world.  In this live event, distinguished leaders from both professions will discuss how their professions contribute to the fight, with a focus on ethics and independence.  While the “professional enablers” narrative has attracted significant attention recently, this event looks to highlight the important role the professions play as allies, as well as to strengthen the dialogue with key stakeholders and enhancing the professions’ contributions as committed partners. 

Panelists include:

• Srinivas Gurazada, Head of Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Initiative Secretariat
• Leopoldo Pagotto, Co-Chair, IBA Anti-Corruption Committee
• Stephen Revell, Freshfields Bruckhaus Derringer and co-vice chair of the IBA Law Firm Management Committee
• Dr. Stavros Thomadakis, Chair, International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA)
• Co-Moderator, Sara Carnegie, Director of Legal Projects, IBA
• Co-Moderator, Scott Hanson, Director of Public Policy & Regulation, IFAC

Join the webinar on Tuesday, June 1, at 9:00 AM EDT here.