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Financial Reporting and Ethics - The Institute of Chartered ...

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ETHICAL THREATS AND SAFEGUARDS(a)Firm-wide safeguards in the work environment orindividual firms<strong>The</strong> various safeguards <strong>and</strong> approaches might include thepractice firm’s environment in which the pr<strong>of</strong>essionals operate,in order to <strong>of</strong>fset any threat to objectivity. Admittedly, it is notpossible to compile an exhaustive list <strong>of</strong> counter-measuresagainst threats. Nonetheless, auditors should, where possible,develop the following characteristics in their practice firms:(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)According to ICAN’s “Rules <strong>of</strong> Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Conduct forMembers,” chartered accountants are obliged from thecommencement <strong>of</strong> their training contracts to behave withintegrity in all their pr<strong>of</strong>essional <strong>and</strong> business relationships<strong>and</strong> to strive for objectivity in their business <strong>and</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essionaljudgements. <strong>The</strong>se factors rank highly in the qualitieswhich the chartered accountants have to display prior toadmission.Engagement partners should have sufficient regard fortheir career <strong>and</strong> reputation to be encouraged towardsobjectivity <strong>and</strong> to the effective use <strong>of</strong> safeguards.Within any practice firm, there should be strong peerpressure towards integrity. Reliance on one another’sintegrity should be the essential force which permitspartners to entrust their public reputation <strong>and</strong> personalliability to each other.Firms should set great store for their reputation forobjectivity <strong>and</strong> impartiality. It is the foundation for theirability to practise <strong>and</strong> gain work over the medium <strong>and</strong>long term. <strong>The</strong>y should not permit any firm’s member torisk it for short term benefit or gain.Firms <strong>of</strong> all sizes should have well established stronginternal procedures <strong>and</strong> controls over the work <strong>of</strong>individual principals, to ensure that difficult <strong>and</strong> sensitivejudgments are reinforced by the collective views <strong>of</strong> otherprincipals, thereby also reducing the possibility <strong>of</strong>litigation.(b)Safeguards <strong>and</strong> / or Sanctions Built into the Structure <strong>of</strong>the Pr<strong>of</strong>ession Itself / Legislation or Regulation<strong>The</strong>se might include:(i)<strong>The</strong> long st<strong>and</strong>ard code <strong>of</strong> ethics <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>ession <strong>of</strong> whichthe “Rules <strong>of</strong> Pr<strong>of</strong>essional Conduct for Members” is part.199

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