Given the demand for investments that support environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, the pressure is on to ensure companies aren't exaggerating or misrepresenting the benefits of their activities, a phenomenon known as "greenwashing".

Review the full article on the Reuters website.

The Exposure Draft Proposed Technology-related Revisions to the Code seeks to enhance the Code’s robustness and expand its relevance in an environment being reshaped by rapid technological advancements. The proposed amendments will guide the ethical mindset and behavior of professional accountants in business and in public practice as they deal with changes brought by technology in their work processes and the content of the services they provide.

Among other matters, the proposals:

• Draw special attention to the professional competence and confidentiality imperatives of the digital age. 
• Address the ethical dimension of professional accountants’ reliance on, or use of, the output of technology in carrying out their work. 
• Further enhance considerations relating to threats from the use of technology as well as considerations relating to complex circumstances in applying the Code’s conceptual framework. 
• Strengthen and clarify the International Independence Standards (IIS) with respect to technology-related non-assurance services (NAS) firms may provide to their audit clients or technology-related business relationships they may enter into with their audit clients.
• Explicitly acknowledge that the IIS that apply to assurance engagements are applicable to assurance engagements on non-financial information, for example, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosures.

The proposed revisions build on the role and mindset changes that became effective last December, and the revised NAS provisions that will become effective in December 2022.

Review the press release and proposed revisions on the IESBA's website.

The publication is designed to highlight, illustrate or explain aspects of the revised fee-related provisions in the Code and thereby assist in their proper application. It is intended to complement the Basis for Conclusions for the final standard and assist national standards setters, professional accountancy organizations, and professional accountants in public practice (including firms) as they adopt and/or implement the revised provisions. The publication is also intended to assist regulators and audit oversight bodies, the corporate governance community, investors, preparers, educational bodies or institutions, and other stakeholders in understanding the revised standard and its application.

Review the press release and FAQ on the IESBA's website.

The Agenda items in­cluded:

• Definitions of Listed Entity & PIE
• Quality Management (QM)-related Conforming Amendments
• En­gage­ment Team – Group Au­dits In­de­pen­dence
• Technology Project
• Technology Fact Finding and Thought Leadership
• Tax Plan­ning & Re­lated Ser­vices
• Benchmarking
• Long Association Post-Implementation Review (LAPIR) (Phase 1)
• Strategy & Work Plan (Update and Preliminary Considerations)
• Next Meeting

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

This second paper, Market Value: An Established Basis of Value, includes discussions on:

• Price, cost, value and worth
• How do we define what the ‘market’ is and how does this impact on market value?
• What is the market value conceptual framework?
• Is market value backward looking?
• Are the ‘peaks’ and ‘troughs’ truly captured when using a market value premise?
• How does the valuer utilize assumptions and special assumptions with market value?

Review the press release and perspectives paper on the IVSC's website.

Review the guidelines on Glass Lewis' website and a summary on the Corporate Counsel's website.

Review the guidelines on Glass Lewis' website and a summary on the Corporate Counsel's website.

Nearly every large public company board has made significant investments in cybersecurity, enhancing human capabilities in both management teams and boards and allocating major capital to secure their IT infrastructures. But we regularly hear from directors that these are no more than steps on a long journey. Even in a company where internal management of cyber risk appears strong, the board of directors can worry that its oversight may not be adequate—or that it has no reliable way to assess its adequacy or to compare its capabilities with those of boards of other firms.

COED seeks to address this gap. It is predicated on the belief that cyber risk often requires fundamentally different treatment than other risks, such as health and safety or fraud. Directors, executives, company secretaries, and others who care deeply about effective governance are the intended audience for this report and for the COED approach.

Review the publication on Tapestry Networks' website.

Despite significant financial risks faced from the climate crisis, and net-zero pledges made by many we found little evidence that companies or their auditors considered climate-related matters in the 2020 financial statements.

Review the press release and report on the Carbon Tracker's website.

Review the guide on Skadden's website.