The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) have jointly published Creating Value for SMEs through Integrated Thinking: The Benefits of Integrated Reporting highlighting how SMEs can benefit from integrated thinking and reporting and noting that the IIRC’s principles-based framework is deliberately flexible so that SMEs can apply it to their own specific circumstances. Access to the publication is available through the press release on the IFAC website.

The IIRC has also published its own integrated report pointing to how integrated reporting is becoming more widespread around the world. The 22 page report also demonstrates the organisation’s own learning journey as it has been streamlined and made more concise than last year’s report (50 pages). Please click for access to the report on the IIRC website.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has issued Attestation Engagements on Sustainability Information (Including Greenhouse Gas Emissions Information) to provide guidance to CPAs who provide assurance on corporate, social and environmental performance information reported by companies. The guide is available through the press release on the AICPA website.

The United States Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) has released of its 2017 Technical Agenda. Cross-cutting items that have been identified and will be adressed include human capital management, cyber security, water risk, and climate risk. The SASB is also integrating the recommendations of the recently released report by the G20 Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) in each industry where climate risk is a material factor. Please click for access to the technical agenda on the SASB website.