Top leaders in global sustainability standard setting, regulation, and accounting joined an afternoon of programming jointly hosted by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the IFRS Foundation, and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) on September 23 as part of Climate Week NYC. The over-subscribed invitation only event, Accelerating Climate and Sustainability-Related Disclosures: A Global Perspective, had as its objective to advance global adoption and implementation of the ISSB Standards and build an understanding of sustainability assurance in its early days.  

Lee White, Chief Executive Officer, IFAC said: “A united effort is essential to support the transformation taking place in businesses to address climate and other sustainability risks and opportunities and to meet the needs of investors and other stakeholders worldwide. Collaboration and alignment among regulators, standard setters, businesses, and the accountancy community is critical to accelerate the uptake of climate-related disclosure and assurance.  

“Following the progress made at IOSCO’s Annual Meeting in Athens in May, IFAC is delighted to once again connect with the IFRS Foundation and IOSCO here in New York to help strengthen our global ecosystem of consistent and comparable sustainability-related information. It is important to congratulate and recognize the work of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board in very recently finalizing its new International Standard for Sustainability Assurance (ISSA) 5000, which will be a critical element of this global ecosystem.”

ISSB Chair, Emmanuel Faber said: “The implementation of ISSB Standards globally will lead to better informed and more resilient capital markets. Assurance of the information will be a critical factor in building confidence in sustainability-related disclosures to inform investment decisions. We are impressed by the jurisdictional momentum around the globe for the adoption or use of our Standards, and enabling companies to provide high-quality disclosures will take time and support. We are grateful to both IFAC and IOSCO for their partnership in working to build capacity within jurisdictions and across markets."

Jean-Paul Servais, Chair of IOSCO, said: “Promoting high-quality sustainability-related reporting is one of the key priorities for IOSCO to protect investors against greenwashing. Global progress towards the introduction of sustainability disclosure requirements has been swift since IOSCO announced its endorsement of the first ISSB Standards in July 2023. IOSCO is committed to collaborate with the ISSB and other global stakeholders to deliver a comprehensive capacity building program to support the wider use of sustainability disclosures.

"To underpin the trustworthiness and thus usefulness of the disclosures, IOSCO also encourages the global development of assurance standards by IAASB and IESBA and welcomes IFAC’s work to help all users and practitioners better understand and prepare for what high-quality sustainability assurance will look like.

"This conference demonstrates the joint efforts of IOSCO, IFAC, and the IFRS Foundation to contribute to decision-useful sustainability information in the interest of investors.”

So far this year, IFAC has convened sustainability reporting and assurance stakeholders in Singapore, Bogota, and New York, and will be in Dubai in October to continue the discussion.

In June of this year, IFAC released Sustainability Assurance: What to Expect in order to help investors and other market participants appreciate how sustainability assurance will evolve in comparison to statutory financial audits.

In recognition of the importance of the Global South to the sustainable transformation, IFAC is also releasing Beyond the G20: The State of Play in Sustainability Disclosure and Assurance, which examines both reporting and assurance practice in twenty smaller and emerging jurisdictions.

A compilation of a recording of the event will be made available in due course. For more information and to be notified of the release of the recording, please reach out to climateweek@ifac.org.

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 more than 135 jurisdictions, representing millions of professional accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

Full Event Recording

In December 2023 the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) published the 

Professional accountants in business (PAIBs) occupy a pivotal position in driving sustainable business practices, fostering transparency, and contributing to the economic and social well-being of communities worldwide. Recognizing that in an increasingly interconnected and rapidly changing global economy, the role of accountants is evolving, the theme of our last PAIB Advisory Group meeting was Accounting for a Better World. The event was hosted by IFAC Member SAICA (South African Institute of Accountants) in Cape Town, South Africa, and the theme was inspired by the ACCA’s agenda for action.

PAIBs comprise a significant part of the profession working in commerce, industry, financial services, education, and the public and not-for-profit sectors, and the PAIB Advisory Group focuses on ensuring these accountants meet the future needs of business and the public sector by convening leaders, sharing their knowledge and insights, and identifying trends globally.  

Informed by IFAC’s PAIB Advisory Group’s last meeting, our new article, Accounting for a Better World, outlines multiple opportunities where professional accountants can have an impact, including: 

• Enabling Africa’s transformation  
• Diversifying entry into the accountancy profession and strengthening the talent pipeline  
• Ensuring sustainability and excellence as a CFO Driving integrated thinking through strong corporate governance 
• Harnessing the transformative opportunities of AI  
• Nature-related accounting and financial disclosure  

Sanjay Rughani, PAIB Advisory Group Chair said: “To IFAC’s members worldwide, I urge you to seize the momentum generated by our discussions and embark on a journey of continuous learning, innovation, and collaboration. Our discussions were not merely exchanges of ideas but rather catalysts for action, igniting a sense of purpose and urgency. Professional accountants, now more than ever, have the opportunity to contribute to creating a better world.” 

Read the article now.   

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 PAIB Advisory Group  

Formed in 1977, the PAIB Advisory Group is comprised of volunteers with experience and expertise in the world of business and the public sector, nominated by the professional accountancy organizations that make up IFAC’s membership.