SMP Committee Chair Giancarlo Attolini discusses practice management, including the influence of technology and new service offerings, at the 2014 IFAC-SAFA Regional SMP Forum. 

The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) today announced the availability of the 2014 editions of the handbooks from the:

• International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board^® (IAASB^®);
• International Accounting Education Standards Board™ (IAESB™);
• International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants^® (IESBA^®); and
• International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board^® (IPSASB^®).

2014 Handbook of International Quality Control, Auditing, Review, Other Assurance, and Related Services Pronouncements

The 2014 edition of the handbook includes ISAE™ 3000 (Revised) and Conforming Amendments. A third volume has been added to the handbook that contains the International Framework for Assurance Engagements (previously included in Volume II of the handbook) and the recently issued Framework for Audit Quality: Key Elements that Create an Environment for Audit Quality.

To access an electronic copy of the handbook for personal use, purchase print copies, or find information on recent developments and outstanding exposure drafts, visit the IAASB’s website at www.iaasb.org.

2014 Handbook of International Education Pronouncements

The 2014 handbook contains the IAESB’s suite of eight International Education Standards™ (IESs™), including the re-drafted IES 7, Continuing Professional Development, IAESB Glossary of Terms, Framework for International Education Standards for Professional Accountants (the Framework), and three International Education Practice Statements. It replaces the 2010 edition of the Handbook of International Education Pronouncements. One of the more significant changes to the handbook is the addition of a new section that includes the newly revised IESs that have been approved by the IAESB, but are not effective at the time of the Handbook’s release.

To access an electronic copy of the handbook for personal use, purchase print copies, or find information on recent developments and outstanding exposure drafts, visit the IAESB’s website at www.iaesb.org.

2014 Handbook of the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants

The 2014 IESBA Handbook contains the entire Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants™. This edition incorporates several revised pronouncements that were published previously and are now effective—addressing a breach of a requirement of the Code, conflicts of interest, and the definition of “those charged with governance.” It also contains the revised definition of “engagement team” (effective for audits of financial statements for periods ending on or after December 15, 2014).

To access an electronic copy of the handbook for personal use, purchase print copies, or find information on recent developments and outstanding exposure drafts, visit the IESBA’s website at www.ethicsboard.org. 

2014 Handbook of International Public Sector Accounting Pronouncements

This Handbook contains the complete set of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board’s (IPSASB) pronouncements on International Public Sector Accounting Standards™ (IPSASs™). It also includes Recommended Practice Guidelines (RPGs), with the introduction of RPG 1–Reporting on the Long-Term Sustainability of an Entity’s Finances and RPG 2-Financial Statement Discussion and Analysis, which were both approved in June 2013 and issued in July 2013. 

To access an electronic copy of the handbook for personal use, purchase print copies, or find information on recent developments and outstanding exposure drafts, visit the IPSASB’s website at www.ipsasb.org.

About the Handbooks
The standards and pronouncements in each of the handbooks were developed by the IAASB, IAESB, IESBA, and IPSASB, respectively. The structures and processes that support the operations of these independent standard-setting boards, including publishing the handbooks, are facilitated by IFAC.

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. It is comprised of 179 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

IFAC is pleased to present eight recommendations for consideration at the G-20 Leader’s Summit on November 15-16, 2014 in Brisbane, Australia. Our recommendations focus on achieving strong, sustainable, balanced growth; ensuring a more robust and resilient economy; and addressing causes of the global financial crisis through financial regulatory reform and enhanced international taxation systems. 

The International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®), the global organization for the accountancy profession dedicated to serving the public interest, today submitted eight recommendations to support global economic growth and resilience for consideration at the forthcoming G-20 Leader’s Summit in Brisbane, Australia, November 15-16.

IFAC’s eight recommendations to help achieve strong, sustainable, and balanced growth are centered upon three core themes:

• Global consistency for sound financial regulation and standards for reporting and audit;
• Enhanced financial management, reporting, transparency and accountability by governments; and
• Effective taxation systems.

Fayez Choudhury, IFAC Chief Executive, commented: “IFAC understands that global economic growth, stability, and long-term resilience can only be truly supported once governments and the private sector ‘get the numbers right.’ Our detailed recommendations are aimed squarely at regaining momentum toward globally consistent regulation and adoption of high-quality international financial reporting, auditing, and auditor independence standards and requirements, improving both public and private sector transparency, and reducing taxation opacity. 

“We have seen too many times throughout history how flawed numbers, and the decisions they impact, can lead to the unravelling of global economic stability. The most recent financial crisis generated much global interest in finally addressing the need for internationally consistent, appropriate regulation to help avert future crises. That momentum has dissipated and we need to regain it. Instead, unilateral government action is creating more divergence, which does not augur well for a coordinated global response to the next crisis.

“If adopted, our recommendations would serve the public interest by placing integrity—in recognizing, measuring, processing, and reporting financial transactions—at the heart of the numbers relied upon by decision-makers to maintain economic performance and social cohesion.

“The accountancy profession’s skills and experience are essential to advancing economic stability, strengthening financial systems and architecture, and promoting accountability and longer-term sustainability and growth. We have proposed to the G-20’s leaders eight effective, practical recommendations focused on protecting and serving the global public interest, and which if adopted would significantly enhance global economic stability,” he said.

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. It is comprised of 179 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

The UK Department for International Development (DFID), which leads the United Kingdom’s work to end extreme poverty, and the International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®), the global organization for the accountancy profession, have entered into an agreement to strengthen professional accountancy organizations (PAOs) in developing countries. Under this agreement, DFID will provide £4.935 million to IFAC over seven years. The funding will be used to strengthen PAOs in at least 10 DFID focal countries to play a greater role in furthering economic development. These focal countries are currently being selected by IFAC, in consultation with its regional organizations and DFID.

IFAC invites organizations to indicate their interest in providing PAO capacity-building services under this agreement. IFAC will facilitate, coordinate, and supervise projects, including peer-to-peer support by more established PAOs, to build developing country PAOs’ managerial, financial, and technical capacity so that they can drive improvements in professional and ethical standards.

Expressions of Interest can be submitted via www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1735005/Expression-of-Interest. Interested organizations should be able to demonstrate that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the capacity-building services. Based on information in the Expressions of Interest, IFAC will evaluate interested organizations and—in the future—invite eligible organizations to submit proposals to provide services for specific projects. Further information is available by emailing development@ifac.org.

Timetable and Deadlines for Expressions of Interest

• October 17, 2014, 8:30 am (New York time) – Webinar for applicants to clarify any matters. Please email development@ifac.org to receive instructions for participation.
• November 19, 2014 – Deadline for submissions of interest.
• First Quarter 2015 –Organizations will be invited to submit full proposals.

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. It is comprised of 179 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

About DFID
The Department for International Development (DFID) leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty. We're ending the need for aid by creating jobs, unlocking the potential of girls and women and helping to save lives when humanitarian emergencies hit. For more information visit www.gov.uk/dfid.

IFAC^® President Warren Allen provided an overview on the changing audit environment and IFAC's response to it as well as an update on activities of the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board^® to the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Greece (SOEL) September 19, 2014, in Athens, Greece. 

The IFAC Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee has released International Good Practice Guidance, Developing and Reporting Supplementary Financial Measures, to provide recommendations for the use of supplementary financial measures as part of high-quality financial reporting in organizations. Since supplementary financial measures fall outside the remit of GAAP, they may lack transparency, comparability, and consistency—essential qualities for investors and other stakeholders wanting to assess financial performance.

The Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee of the International Federation of Accountants^® (IFAC^®) today issued International Good Practice Guidance, Developing and Reporting Supplementary Financial Measures. The guidance provides recommendations for the use of supplementary financial measures as part of high-quality financial reporting in organizations.

Since supplementary financial measures fall outside the remit of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), they may lack transparency, comparability, and consistency—essential qualities for investors and other stakeholders wanting to assess financial performance. To address this challenge, the PAIB Committee’s guidance establishes a set of principles that allows professional accountants to develop and report useful measures in accordance with the qualitative characteristics of financial information.

“Supplementary financial measures can provide stakeholders with a greater understanding of an organization’s financial performance, helping them make more informed financial decisions,” said Charles Tilley, Chair of the PAIB Committee. “Because supplementary financial measures are widely used, and can contribute to the overall picture of an organization, our aim is to improve their quality and usefulness.”

The guidance builds on the qualitative characteristics of useful financial reporting: relevant and faithful representation, as well as comparability, verifiability, timeliness, and understandability.

“All measures in a financial report, whether they are prescribed by GAAP or are supplementary, should be clearly defined to provide comprehensive understanding of an organization’s financial performance,” said Karyn Brooks, Chair of the PAIB Committee’s Business Reporting Advisory Group. “This guidance will serve as a reference for the development, implementation, location, and disclosure of supplementary financial measures.”

As part of IFAC’s commitment to strengthen financial reporting practices and the PAIB Committee’s efforts to support professional accountants in business, this guidance reinforces accountants’ ability to produce high-quality reports that enable sound decision making about organizations.

About International Good Practice Guidance
International Good Practice Guidance issued by the PAIB Committee cover areas of international and strategic importance in which professional accountants in business are likely to engage. In issuing principles-based guidance, IFAC seeks to foster a common and consistent approach to those aspects of the work of professional accountants in business not covered by international standards. IFAC seeks to clearly identify principles that are generally accepted internationally and applicable to organizations of all sizes in commerce, industry, education, and the public and not-for-profit sectors. Previously issued guidance is available on the IFAC website, including Preface to IFAC’s International Good Practice Guidance.

About the PAIB Committee
The PAIB Committee serves IFAC member bodies and professional accountants worldwide who work in commerce, industry, financial services, education, and the public and the not-for-profit sectors. Its aim is to promote and contribute to the value of professional accountants in business by increasing awareness of the important roles professional accountants play, supporting member bodies in enhancing the competence of their members, and facilitating the communication and sharing of good practices and ideas.

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. It is comprised of 179 members and associates in 130 countries and jurisdictions, representing approximately 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

IFAC submitted a comment letter to the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB)'s Consultation Paper, Proposals to Improve the Regulatory Regime for Listed Entity Auditors. IFAC commends the FSTB on issuing a very thorough and thoughtful consultation paper that addresses a range of matters that aims to improve the regulatory regime for listed entity auditors in Hong Kong.