If you’re a smaller practice, you may be wondering about the implications of mandatory sustainability assurance on your firm and your clients, and what the practical application of the new International Ethics Standards for Sustainability Assurance (IESSA) will look like. 

To help explain – the Chair of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) Taskforce that developed them, Mark Babington FCA (ICAEW), sat down with host Gillian Bowen when he was in Sydney in February, to explain what smaller firms should know about the value chain, the resources available to help accountants and the opportunities this journey toward sustainability assurance can present. 

Mark, who’s also the Executive Director of Regulatory Standards at the UK Financial Reporting Council, encouraged accountants to take up the opportunity to shape methodology and practice, in this important time of generational change. 

Resources referred to in the episode: 
IESBA: 

Basis for conclusions - IESSA
Final Standard - IESSA
CA ANZ’s submission to the IESBA on the Proposed IESSA
IESBA Website
Contact IESBA
PODCAST: What’s next for ethics and the profession? 
IAASB Website
SME sustainability hub
CA ANZ Sustainable Business page
Sustainability Tools & Resources
Sustainability Assurance playbook
Submissions to the IAASB, AUASB and XRB on sustainability assurance
Check out the Smaller Practices Centre
Check out Small Firm, Big Impact on the CA ANZ website

If you&rsquo;re a smaller practice, you may be wondering about the implications of mandatory sustainability assurance on your firm and your clients, and what the practical application of the new International Ethics Standards for Sustainability Assurance (IESSA) will look like.&nbsp;
To help explain &ndash; the Chair of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) Taskforce that developed them, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-babington-07628925/">Mark Babington FCA</a> (ICAEW), sat down with host <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillianbowen/">Gillian Bowen</a> when he was in Sydney in February, to explain what smaller firms should know about the value chain, the resources available to help accountants and the opportunities this journey toward sustainability assurance can present.&nbsp;
Mark, who&rsquo;s also the Executive Director of Regulatory Standards at the UK Financial Reporting Council, encouraged accountants to take up the opportunity to shape methodology and practice, in this important time of generational change.&nbsp;
Resources referred to in the episode:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">IESBA:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ethicsboard.org/publications/basis-conclusions-international-ethics-standards-sustainability-assurance-including-international">Basis for conclusions - IESSA</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ethicsboard.org/publications/final-pronouncement-international-ethics-standards-sustainability-assurance-including-international">Final Standard - IESSA</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/news-and-analysis/advocacy/policy-submissions/submission-on-international-ethics-standards-for-sustainability-assurance">CA ANZ&rsquo;s submission to the IESBA on the Proposed IESSA</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ethicsboard.org/publications/final-pronouncement-international-ethics-standards-sustainability-assurance-including-international">IESBA Website</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ethicsboard.org/contact-iesba">Contact</a> IESBA</li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">PODCAST: <a href="https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/news-and-analysis/news/podcasts/small-firm-big-impact/s4e6-whats-next-for-ethics-and-the-profession">What&rsquo;s next for ethics and the profession?</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.iaasb.org/">IAASB Website</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/tools-and-resources/client-service-essentials/sustainability/sme-sustainability-hub#:~:text=Access%20this%20hub%20curated%20by%20Chartered%20Accountants%20Worldwide,find%20sustainability%20resources%20to%20assist%20SMEs%20and%20practices.">SME sustainability hub</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/member-services/technical/business-issues/sustainable-business">CA ANZ Sustainable Business page</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/tools-and-resources/client-service-essentials/sustainability">Sustainability Tools &amp; Resources</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/news-and-analysis/insights/research-and-insights/sustainability-assurance-seize-the-opportunity">Sustainability Assurance playbook</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/searchresults?q=sustainability+assurance">Submissions to the IAASB, AUASB and XRB on sustainability assurance</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Check out the <a href="https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/member-services/smp-resource-centre">Smaller Practices Centre</a></li>
<li data-leveltext="&middot;" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&middot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Check out Small Firm, Big Impact on the <a href="https://www.charteredaccountantsanz.com/news-and-analysis/news/podcasts/small-firm-big-impact">CA ANZ website</a></li>
</ul>

‘Small Firm, Big Impact’ is the podcast small and medium sized practices need right now. The latest series is full of factual and practical content from experts, giving chartered accountants, the up-to-date information they need to do their jobs. Each episode Chartered Accountants ANZ Public Affairs Manager Gillian Bowen will pick the brains of a range of people across the profession including CA ANZ experts as well as guests who know a thing or two about public practice.

‘Small Firm, Big Impact’ is the podcast small and medium sized practices need right now. The latest series is full of factual and practical content from experts, giving chartered accountants, the up-to-date information they need to do their jobs. Each episode Chartered Accountants ANZ Public Affairs Manager <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-bowen-7b310215b/" aria-label="Link Gillian Bowen">Gillian Bowen</a> will pick the brains of a range of people across the profession including CA ANZ experts as well as guests who know a thing or two about public practice.

Giving Chartered Accountants, the up-to-date information they need to do their jobs.

Small Firm, Big Impact

Small Firm, Big Impact is our long-form podcast exploring the biggest ideas, challenges, and opportunities reshaping smaller accounting firms across Australia and New Zealand. 

Hosted by Lisa Lintern from CA ANZ External Affairs, each episode dives into the leadership perspectives, strategic decisions, and real-world stories that help smaller firms stay future-ready in a rapidly changing environment. 

Whether it’s innovation, practice growth, technology, client expectations, or the evolving role of the practitioner, these conversations give you context, clarity, and inspiration to lead with confidence. 

For quick regulatory updates and time-sensitive news, explore our companion podcast, Small Firm, Big Impact Express. 

 

Disclaimer: The opinions and statements expressed in this podcast are provided for general information only and are not intended to be legal, professional or financial advice, nor do they reflect the opinions of Chartered Accountants ANZ. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Chartered Accountants ANZ is not liable for any statement or opinion, or for any error or omission in this podcast, nor is it liable for any direct, indirect, special or consequential losses or damages of any kind, or loss of profit, loss or corruption of data, business interruption or indirect costs, arising out of or in connection with this podcast or the information contained in it, whether such loss or damage arises in contract, negligence, tort, under statute, or otherwise.

Small Firm, Big Impact is our long-form podcast exploring the biggest ideas, challenges, and opportunities reshaping smaller accounting firms across Australia and New Zealand.&nbsp;
Hosted by Lisa Lintern from CA ANZ External Affairs, each episode dives into the leadership perspectives, strategic decisions, and real-world stories that help smaller firms stay future-ready in a rapidly changing environment.&nbsp;
Whether&nbsp;it&rsquo;s&nbsp;innovation, practice growth, technology, client expectations, or the evolving role of the practitioner, these conversations give you context, clarity, and inspiration to lead with confidence.&nbsp;
For quick regulatory updates and time-sensitive news, explore our companion podcast,&nbsp;Small Firm, Big Impact Express.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Disclaimer: The opinions and statements expressed in this podcast are provided for general information only and are not intended to be legal, professional or financial advice, nor do they reflect the opinions of Chartered Accountants ANZ. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Chartered Accountants ANZ is not liable for any statement or opinion, or for any error or omission in this podcast, nor is it liable for any direct, indirect, special or consequential losses or damages of any kind, or loss of profit, loss or corruption of data, business interruption or indirect costs, arising out of or in connection with this podcast or the information contained in it, whether such loss or damage arises in contract, negligence, tort, under statute, or otherwise.

Sustainability opportunities for your firm and clients

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/a34d9ae1-e217-41ad-8f3d-aae30005ee78/clips/3b3ea804-55d4-4b4e-844a-b29d018b056e/transcript

Transcript