IFAC Releases New Tool That Gauges ISA Adoption

“This tool gives an overview of ISA adoption by jurisdiction, as well as other valuable information about how the adoption process can vary,” comments Russell Guthrie, IFAC Director, Quality and Member Relations. “It also demonstrates the commitment of IFAC and its member bodies to transparency by providing a comprehensive summary of ISA adoption to our stakeholders and welcoming feedback that will allow further refinement of the information, especially as jurisdictions adopt the recently issued Clarified ISAs, which are a result of a comprehensive program to enhance the clarity of auditing standards,” he concludes.

Adoption of international standards is the first step of a continuous process, following which successful implementation is vital to ensure professionals understand and apply the standards appropriately. IFAC member organizations are required to use their best endeavors to lead or actively support that process within their countries. They communicate this commitment through their Compliance Action Plans that describe the current status of adoption and their planned activities to progress implementation.

In line with the ongoing nature of the adoption process, the chart and notes, gathered from the Compliance Program and a variety of other sources, will be periodically updated as new information is received.

About IFAC

IFAC (www.ifac.org) 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 157 members and associates in 123 countries and jurisdictions, representing more than 2.5 million accountants in public practice, education, government service, industry, and commerce.

About IFAC Member Body Compliance Program

The IFAC Member Body Compliance Program (www.ifac.org/ComplianceProgram) was launched in 2004 as an integral part of the 2003 IFAC reforms. The primary emphasis of the Program is to encourage continuous improvement by professional accountancy organizations through an ongoing assessment of their commitment to use best endeavors to adopt and support implementation of international financial reporting, auditing, ethical, education, and public sector accounting standards, as well as to operate or otherwise support robust quality assurance and investigation and disciplinary mechanisms. The Program, in particular through the Action Plan process, serves as an engine to drive behavior to achieve the successful adoption and implementation of international standards and best practices, either through the direct actions of IFAC members and associates or through their encouragement and advocacy to other stakeholders with the authority to initiate change in their jurisdictions. To date, 62 Action Plans have been published on the IFAC website and more than 50 drafts have been submitted for review and finalization.

IFAC
Sylvia Barrett, 212-286-9563
sylviabarrett@ifac.org
or
Richard Sasanow, 212-471-8737
richardsasanow@ifac.org