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.
Joanna Strober is founder and CEO of Midi Health.
Olga Collins was appointed CEO of Worldwide Broker Network (WBN) in April 2021 after becoming their youngest ever board member when she joined in 2019. Under her leadership, WBN has grown to become the largest independent broker network in the world, with 150 members across 100 countries and a combined revenue of $14 billion. Olga has worked in global business for 25 years, is a member of the prestigious invitation-only C-Suite female network 'Chief' and recipient of multiple industry awards.
Nick Tye is the founder and CEO of Carbon Underwriting. His leadership approach fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation, developing an environment where creativity thrives. Laser focused on merging technology and expertise to drive results, Nick's role at Carbon is the culmination of over two decades in insurance, marked by leveraging his actuarial background and commercial acumen to enhance every facet of the underwriting process. Nick's reputation as a market leader stems from his ability to manage the underwriting of highly profitable international portfolios, even in challenging territories. His holistic understanding of the industry's distribution chain ensures consistently above-average profitability. Beyond technical prowess, Nick's journey from actuarial science to CEO exemplifies the evolution of underwriting in our industry. His visionary leadership, coupled with a relentless pursuit of innovation, positions him as a transformative force in shaping the industry's future.
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.
