The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) today released the 2021 Edition of the Handbook of the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards). The new edition contains recently approved revisions to the Code, including:
- The revisions to Part 4B to align terms and concepts used in the Code to those in the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s (IAASB) International Standard on Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000 (Revised). Those revisions became effective in June 2021.
- The revisions to Parts 1 and 2 to promote the role and mindset expected of professional accountants. Those revisions will become effective in December 2021. Early adoption is encouraged.
Approved revisions which are not yet effective have been included in the back of the Handbook. These revisions will become effective in December 2022 and include:
- Revisions to the Code addressing the objectivity of an engagement quality reviewer and other appropriate reviewers.
- Revisions to the non-assurance services provisions of the Code.
- Revisions to the fee-related provisions of the Code.
Click here to access the 2021 edition of the IESBA Handbook.
Reproducing and Translating the IESBA Handbook
To help adoption and implementation of the IESBA standards, stakeholders are invited to submit requests for permission to reproduce or translate the IESBA Handbook online via the Online Permissions Requests or Inquiries system on the IFAC website.
About IESBA
The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) is an independent global standard-setting board. The IESBA’s mission is to serve the public interest by setting ethics standards, including auditor independence requirements, which seek to raise the bar for ethical conduct and practice for all professional accountants through a robust, globally operable International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards) (The Code).