For more information, please contact our data protection representative at privacy@accaglobal.com or see our full general opinion on data protection. Corporate ethical codes are published by private sector organizations to communicate their values and beliefs to stakeholders. These include: these will be discussed in more detail later in the article, as they are the fundamental principles of the ACCA`s code of ethics and behaviour. The audit professional must take ethical issues into account not only at the national level, but also in the global context. IFAC has a role to play in this regard. IFAC is a global representative body for public accountants, with 164 members and collaborators from 125 countries. It develops international standards for ethics, audit and insurance, education and public sector accounting standards. Under the auspices of IFAC, the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) develops ethical standards and guidelines. In return, IESBA`s work is overseen by the Public Interest Oversight Board. These elements are taken into account successively in this article.
It should be noted that this is an introduction and further detailed studies will be needed to achieve the required level of knowledge and understanding. Ethics does not have the security normally provided for by law, as individuals consider certain legal things to be unethical. Views on morality in turn differ, so that ethical principles, even codified by professional or commercial organizations, can be viewed differently according to each other`s moral principles. The Code then discusses specific responsibilities for many aspects of practice, including money laundering, whistleblowing responsibilities, advertising and advertising, descriptions of members and businesses, changes in professional appointments, legal property and access to books and other documents, professional commitments and client money. Wherever we ask for information, we make it clear that all professions rely on their practitioners to apply not only legal, but also ethical standards. If accountants behave unethically, their clients lose confidence in their services and society in general will no longer trust them or feel that they are acting in the public interest. The potential consequences would be devastating, not only for the accountants themselves, but also for the profession and its interest groups, including individuals, organizations and others who are directly or indirectly involved in their work. Together with other major audit firms, the ACCA publishes a code of ethics and ethics as well as an unverified online module on ethics and professional qualifications. Both are available on the website (see “Related Links”).