These initiatives are founded on the Government’s commitment to advance human rights by supporting Canadian companies in operating responsibly and improving access to remedy for alleged human rights abuses arising from Canadian company operations abroad. The Government will soon be clarifying how these entities will operate.

Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise

The Ombudsperson’s mandate will be to investigate allegations of human rights abuses arising from Canadian corporate activity abroad. This person will operate with a budget that allows him/her to conduct independent investigations, be appointed through an order-in-council that will determine the specifics of the mandate and the related responsibilities and carry out his/her duties full-time for a term of up to five years.

Multi-stakeholder Advisory Body on Responsible Business Conduct

The Advisory Body will comprise experts in civil society and industry and will report to the Minister of International Trade. Its role will be to advise the government on the effective implementation and further development of its laws, policies and practices addressing the social responsibility of Canadian companies operating abroad, in particular with the creation of new laws and regulations. The Advisory Body will help the Government determine the Ombudsperson’s mandate and investigative procedures.

Review the full article on Norton Rose Fulbright's website and the press release on the Government of Canada's website.

Refer to the June 14, 2018 GRI press release for further details.

In addition, on June 28, 2018, the GRI has released two updated standards:

GRI 403: Occupational Health and Safety 2018 – Putting worker health first

GRI 303: Water and Effluents 2018 – From water management to water stewardship

Refer to the June 28, 2018 GRI press release for further details of these updated standards.

This whitepaper explores compliance approaches, explains the importance of governance to successful compliance, and offers guidance on implementing new technologies to support GDPR initiatives.

In this report, you will learn:

1. How to solve for the challenge of identifying and accessing the right data
2. The right approach to track evolving data environments
3. Technology your peers will use to fulfill the GDPR’s many requirements

Download the report on Compliance Week's website.

Topics covered included:

• Essentials of the Ethics Code
• Global Positioning of the Code
• Public Expectations, Public Interest, Regulation 
• The Technological Revolution
• Global Ethical Practice: Integration or Fragmentation? 

Re­view the speech on the IESBA's web­site.

The IESBA’s future priorities and actions will be guided by three strategic themes:

• Advancing the Code’s relevance by keeping it fit-for-purpose for a rapidly changing world, and further strengthening ethical conduct and independence standards;
• Deepening and expanding the Code’s impact and influence through increased global adoption and implementation; and
• Enriching the IESBA’s perspectives and capacities through proactive stakeholder dialogue and co-operation.

Review the press release and the Consultation Paper on the IESBA's website.

Discussion points included:

• Fees
• Technology
• Emerging Issues and Outreach Committee (EIOC)
• IAASB-IESBA Coordination
• Rollout of the Revised Restructured Code
• Strategy and Work Plan 2019-2023 (SWP)
• eCode
• Role and Mindset
• Non-assurance Services (NAS)
• IESBA Working Processes
• Part 4B ISAE 3000 Alignment

Review the highlights and the podcast on the IESBA's website.

Discussion points included:

• Restructured Code Rollout
• Emerging Issues and Outreach Committee (EIOC)
• Non-assurance Services
• Fees
• Professional Skepticism
• Implementation of EU Audit Legislation
• IAASB-IESBA Coordination
• ISAE 3000 (Revised) Alignment
• Technology
• eCode

Review the highlights and the podcast on the IESBA's website.

Discussion points included:

• Professional Skepticism
• Non-assurance Services
• Future SWP
• Inducements
• Fees
• Technology and Innovation
• eCode
• Rollout Initiatives Restructured Code

Review the highlights and the podcast on the IESBA's Web site.

Discussion points included:

• Revised and Restructured Code Rollout
• IFAC Initiatives Update
• Fees
• Strategy and Work Plan
• Technology
• Professional Skepticism
• IAASB-IESBA Coordination
• Non-assurance Services
• eCode
• Alignment of Part 4B with ISAE 3000
• Joint IAASB and IESBA Board Meeting

Review the highlights and the podcast on the IESBA's website.

Forty-two IFIAR members participated in the 2018 Survey, which sought information from members concerning the authority and structures of their enforcement programs, the handling and reporting of enforcement matters, historical and trend information, sharing information with other regulatory 
authorities, and ideas for reform. The 2018 Survey updates results from the first enforcement survey in 2014 and focuses on the three years from 2015 through 2017.

Review the press release and report on the IFIAR's website.