Final Pronouncement: Objectivity of Engagement Quality Reviewer and Other Appropriate Reviewers

These revisions address the objectivity of an engagement quality reviewer (EQR) and other appropriate reviewers. This project dovetailed with the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board’s (IAASB’s) development of International Standard on Quality Management (ISQM) 2, Engagement Quality Reviews, which was finalized in December 2020.

The revisions provide guidance that supports ISQM 2 in addressing the eligibility of an individual to serve in an EQR role, focusing on the critical attribute of objectivity. Among other matters, the guidance:

• Elaborates on the need to identify, evaluate and address threats to compliance with the fundamental principle of objectivity that might arise in the appointment of an individual as an EQR for a given engagement;
• Explicitly refers to and supports the requirement in ISQM 2 for a firm to establish, as a condition for eligibility, a cooling-off period of two years before an engagement partner can assume the EQR role on the same engagement; and
• Emphasizes that this cooling-off requirement in ISQM 2 serves the dual objective of supporting compliance with the fundamental principle of objectivity and the high quality of engagements.

The guidance may also apply in situations where, as a safeguard to address identified threats to compliance with the fundamental ethics principles, an individual is appointed as an appropriate reviewer for work performed.