The staff of the American Institute of CPAs, the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants and the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board have jointly released guidance on the use of specialists in COVID-19 environment, including some considerations involving the use of specialists when auditing financial statements during the pandemic.
The staff guidance, released Tuesday, aims to help accountants and auditors determine when there might be a need to use the services of a specialist to help them perform specific tasks and other professional activities within their own organizations, as well as when they serve their clients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The publication discusses some of the ethical considerations for accountants to think about when using a specialist, along with some of the circumstances that indicate a need for a specialist when auditing financial statements.
The novel coronavirus pandemic has forced many accountants and auditors to work remotely, as well as curtailed travel to client locations, particularly those located abroad, when travel restrictions remain in place in many countries.
Emelie Fritz is workplace well-being director at Lifesum, where she works at the intersection of health, behaviour change and workplace culture. She regularly comments on employee wellbeing, workplace trends and the habits shaping how people live, work and perform. Through her work, she helps organisations, including GE and PayPal, better understand the relationship between health, productivity and long-term well-being.
Tatum Fish is a strategic value architect at Cytora specializing in helping insurance organizations translate technology investments into measurable business outcomes. With experience spanning automation, AI, API enablement, and digital transformation, she works closely with carriers to align technology capabilities with operational priorities and long-term growth strategies. Tatum is passionate about bridging the gap between business and technology, helping organizations modernize processes, improve connectivity, and accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies across the insurance value chain.
Dr. Viroshan Naicker is co-founder and CEO of Refiant. A mathematician by training, he holds a doctorate from the University of Johannesburg and lectured for six years before moving into industry. He co-founded Refiant in 2025 on the conviction that large models are inefficient by design and that better methods already exist in nature.
The guidance points out that the pandemic could also pose threats to ethical standards, and accountants may find it challenging with the changing laws and regulations pertaining to COVID-19. They may come under pressure to breach the principles of professional competence, due care and professional behavior. “Those who perform audits of financial statements may face additional challenges as well, including considerations related to auditor independence,” said the document. During the pandemic, accountants also might not have access to the usual resources they have at their offices to ensure competent performance, and they may need to turn to outside specialists to help them perform certain tasks or undertake some engagements.
The publication was developed by the staff of the AICPA under the auspices of a working group formed by the IESBA and national ethics standard setters from Australia, Canada, China, South Africa, the U.K. and the U.S. The working group was chaired by IESBA deputy chair Richard Fleck with the goal of developing implementation support resources to help accountants effectively apply the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards) when facing circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic. IESBA and IAASB staff also provided their input. The working group plans to develop more COVID-19 guidance in the weeks ahead.
