An increasing number of entities are reporting on their sustainability or environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. This is driven by a variety of factors, including growing investor and stakeholder demand, and new regulatory requirements.
Assurance is an important component of this evolving reporting landscape, and we expect demand for third-party sustainability assurance services to increase in the future. Assurance providers may also be called upon to evaluate an entity’s sustainability reporting controls and processes, as well as provide advice on sustainability-related reporting and compliance obligations.
We have compiled an inventory of sustainability assurance resources to help you navigate this rapidly changing environment. New content will be added regularly.
CPA Canada resources
Practitioner’s Pulse Webinar (October 2022): The sustainable debt market and other sustainability updates
Tune into this webinar for an introduction to the exploding sustainable debt market and for developments in the sustainability reporting and assurance landscape relevant to CPAs, both globally and in Canada.
Audit Quality Blog (October 2022): Sustainability standards developments and their implications for CPAs
Learn about recent global and Canadian developments in sustainability reporting and assurance and the implications for CPAs in public practice, and for their clients.
Global Research Study (May 2022): Navigating the sustainable debt market
Read this important research for an introduction to the US $1 trillion global sustainable debt market. The final report examines the trends, challenges and opportunities, as well as some considerations for enhancing credibility in an evolving market.
Audit Quality Blog (March 2022): Understanding the changing landscape of sustainability assurance in Canada
The assurance profession must play a crucial role to enhance the credibility of high-quality sustainability information. Learn about recent developments in sustainability reporting and assurance, and their impact on the Canadian assurance profession.
Practitioner's pulse (October 2021): A CPA's role in assurance over sustainability information
With global sustainability standards on the horizon, listen to this webinar for an introduction to sustainability reporting and to learn about a CPA’s role in third-party assurance over sustainability information, including Canadian and global trends.
Sustainability Assurance Alert (July 2021): Third-party assurance over sustainability information
Read this alert to learn about a CPA’s role in third-party assurance over sustainability information.
Audit and Assurance Alert (June 2021): The consideration of climate-related risks in an audit of financial statements
Climate change is increasingly front of mind for investors and other stakeholders as its effects are increasingly visible. This alert assists auditors in understanding considerations of climate-related risks in an audit of financial statements.
A New Frontier: Sustainability and ESG for CPAs and business professionals
Contribute to the future of the profession with the Sustainability/ESG certificate, a professional upskilling product that promotes and supports the wellbeing of stakeholders throughout an organization and society at large.
Sustainability reporting updates and resources
Visit our webpage for a summary of the latest Canadian and global sustainability reporting developments.
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Keep reading: External resources
Standard setting
The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) is currently working on a project to develop an overarching standard for assurance on sustainability reporting.
The Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AASB) is monitoring the IAASB’s progress on this initiative and has approved a project proposal to adopt the international standard concurrently in Canada.
Relevant resources
The state of play in sustainability assurance
International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
Guidance on extended external reporting assurance engagements in Canada
Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AASB)
Sustainability assurance – rising to the challenge
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
Sustainability assurance: Factors to consider
Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
Webpages
Sustainability assurance resource page
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Sustainability reporting resource page
International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)
Auditors and ESG information
Center for Audit Quality (CAQ)
NOTE: Resources created by external organizations were not reviewed, developed or approved by CPA Canada. CPA Canada accepts no responsibility or liability that might occur directly or indirectly as a consequence of the use, application or reliance on these external resources.