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Sustainability assurance

With the increasing global demand for corporate reporting and disclosure on sustainability, ESG and climate, the focus on assurance over sustainability-related information has never been greater. Find information, insights and resources below.

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Accounting
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Mark Babington, Board Member of International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA), in conversation with ICAEW’s Director of Trust and Ethics, Laura Hough.
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Insights

Sustainability assurance: understanding ISSA 5000

It is more important than ever to ensure that finance professionals are faithfully monitoring company sustainability assurance and reporting so that stakeholders and governments can judge businesses’ ability to reach their UN Sustainability Goals, Malcolm Bacchus, ICAEW President, told a gathering of accountants this week.
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Insights

FRC sets out sustainability assurance market recommendations

A clear UK policy framework, a unified regulatory regime and improved information on the quality of sustainability assurance among the actions outlined by the regulator.
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Exclusive

ISSA 5000: IAASB sustainability assurance standard

Auditors and other professional assurance practitioners will want to become familiar with the new general-purpose standard for sustainability assurance.
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Exclusive
Audit and Beyond

Why ethics and sustainability go hand in hand

IESBA Board Member Mark Babington talks to ICAEW about the relevance and importance of ethics when it comes to sustainability reporting and assurance.
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Resources

Climate assurance

A suite of resources to enable boards and audit committees to evaluate the need for assurance over climate-related activities.
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Sustainability assurance: embracing the future
Hear from our new CEO Alan Vallance on the critical role of sustainability assurance in today's business landscape.

Latest news and insights

Sustainability assurance: understanding ISSA 5000
  • Article
  • 10 Mar 2025
It is more important than ever to ensure that finance professionals are faithfully monitoring company sustainability assurance and reporting so that stakeholders and governments can judge businesses’ ability to reach their UN Sustainability Goals, Malcolm Bacchus, ICAEW President, told a gathering of accountants this week.
Euro ‘omnibus’ proposal reveals softer CSRD and CSDDD
  • Article
  • 04 Mar 2025
The European Commission’s omnibus proposal waters down European sustainability reporting and assurance rules within CSRD, CSDDD and CBAM.
Is your sustainability assurance house in order?
  • Article
  • 23 Oct 2024
Sustainability claims made by businesses are increasingly under the spotlight. How should internal audit work with external providers of assurance to ensure material controls are fit for purpose?
Sustainability assurance market faces quality and regulatory challenges
  • Article
  • 21 Oct 2024
Initial findings from an FRC study highlight market immaturity, quality inconsistencies and the need for a clear regulatory framework, against a backdrop of increasing demand for sustainability assurance services.
Sustainability assurance market under spotlight in FRC study
  • Article
  • 16 Sep 2024
ICAEW calls for greater regulatory clarity and certainty on sustainability reporting and assurance requirements.
Exclusive Sustainability assurance: bracing for the future
  • Video
  • 12 Jul 2024
Delegates and speakers at the 2024 Audit and Assurance Faculty Conference are gearing up to meet the growing need and demand for sustainability assurance services. Let’s explore what’s on their minds.
Government delivers timeline for S1 and S2 endorsement
  • Article
  • 20 May 2024
Dates for endorsement of the International Sustainability Standards Board’s IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 standards announced, ending speculation over timescales for new reporting requirements.
Exclusive Exploring Critical Questions in CSRD Assurance for Professional Service Firms
  • Article
  • 16 Nov 2023
Polly Tsang, Financial Services Manager explores some of the issues Professional Services Firms need to be thinking about now with the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Directive (CSRD) in 2025.

IAASB international assurance standard

Exclusive ISSA 5000: IAASB sustainability assurance standard
  • Article
Auditors and other professional assurance practitioners will want to become familiar with the new general-purpose standard for sustainability assurance.
Sustainability assurance standard on track for September delivery
  • Article
IAASB Vice-Chair gives progress report on ISSA 5000, an ambitious project to develop a globally-accepted overarching standard for sustainability assurance.
Consultation opens on global sustainability assurance standard
  • Article
The International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) is calling on anyone involved with preparing, using and regulating sustainability reports to feedback on its proposed International Standard on Sustainability Assurance – ISSA 5000.
ICAEW REP 114/23 ISSA 5000
  • Representation
  • PDF (393kb)
A representation dated 1 December 2023 to a consultation published by IAASB in August 2023.

Sustainability reporting standard setting

IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
  • Helpsheets and support
On this page, the Corporate Reporting Faculty provides an introduction to the work of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and its IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards.
European Sustainability Reporting and Assurance
  • Helpsheets and support
An overview of the EU legal framework for sustainability reporting, under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
CSRD scope and timing
  • Helpsheets and support
The CSRD applies to a broad range of companies. This page covers the scope, timing and exemptions for applying CSRD.
SEC standardises climate-related disclosures for investors
  • Article
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has clarified its climate-related disclosures rules after a lengthy deliberation period.

Helpsheets and guidance

Exclusive Global sustainability reporting and assurance requirements: your questions answered
  • Webinar
We explore current and future sustainability reporting and assurance requirements and put your questions to our expert panel.
Introduction to CSRD and SEC Climate Reporting & Assurance requirements
  • Webinar
An Overview of Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and SEC Climate disclosures.
What is assurance?
  • Helpsheets and support
Discover what assurance means, what can trigger the need for assurance, what an assurance engagement is and what assurance mapping is.
Limited assurance vs reasonable assurance
  • Article
Where the client and the practitioner establish that an assurance service is being sought, ISAE 3000 (Revised) provides two options; reasonable and limited assurance.
Practical help and tools for organisations procuring assurance
  • Article
On this page we provide information for the ‘buyer’, i.e. organisations that procure assurance services.
Assurance mapping
  • Helpsheets and support
Assurance maps can be a powerful tool providing great insights for boards, senior management and audit committees. Here the Audit and Assurance Faculty explores the concept of assurance maps and the benefits to various stakeholders.
Buyer’s guide to assurance on non-financial information
  • Helpsheets and support
What is assurance? How does it work and why might it be useful to users of non-financial information? This ‘Buyer's Guide to Assurance on non-financial information’, written collaboratively between ICAEW’s Audit and Assurance Faculty and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development , addresses these questions to bring much needed clarity on what is often perceived as a confusing topic.
The nine stages of an assurance engagement
  • Hub page
Assurance engagements can be typically broken up into nine stages. Not all stages will be clearly separated and identifiable in every engagement. Some stages, such as the engagement letter, may not be required during internal assurance, while others, such as the problem-solving phase, may not be necessary in some external engagements.

Connecting sustainability and finance

Accountants must take the lead on joining the dots between sustainability and finance information, performance and disclosures to ensure organisations are able to make the transformative changes needed

Browse guidance Download the full report
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Further resources

Resources
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Non-financial reporting

Find a range of resources on non-financial reporting matters including the strategic report, energy and carbon reporting, and TCFD disclosures.

Browse resources
Hub
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ICAEW's Sustainability hub

Sustainability describes a world of thriving economies and just societies based on what nature can afford; finance professionals all have a role to play if sustainability goals are to be met.

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Sustainability and Climate Change

Inspiration, insights and collective ambition for professionals delivering on sustainability and acting on climate change.

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