The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) and the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) have formed two expert implementation groups to support the application of their global sustainability standards.  

These groups are expected to play a crucial role in ensuring the effective implementation of the IESBA’s sustainability-related ethics and independence standards, including the International Ethics Standards for Sustainability Assurance (IESSA). 

Released in January 2025, IESBA’s standards include provisions on sustainability reporting and the use of external experts.  

These standards aim to establish consistent global expectations for ethical conduct and independence in sustainability reporting and assurance.  

The IESBA’s IESSA Implementation Monitoring Advisory Group (IIMAG) will support the implementation of the IESSA and revisions to the IESBA code for sustainability reporting. 

The IAASB has also taken steps by forming the ISSA 5000 Technical Implementation Contact Group to support the implementation of the International Standard on Sustainability Assurance (ISSA 5000).  

Both groups consist of diverse professionals familiar with the standards and involved in implementation activities, the IESBA and IAASB said.  

These groups will provide regular feedback to the boards, ensuring that emerging issues in the implementation of the standards are addressed promptly, they added.  

Their work is expected to support IESBA and IAASB efforts to facilitate stakeholders’ adoption of IESSA and ISSA 5000, thereby bolstering trust in sustainability information and advancing high-quality assurance practices globally. 

Earlier this week, Australia’s Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board adopted IESBA’s Global Ethics Sustainability Standards.  

With the move, Australia became the first jurisdiction to embed ethics and independence standards for sustainability reporting and assurance into its national framework. 

IESBA chair Gabriela Figueiredo Dias said: “Australia’s leadership has sent a powerful signal: ethics and independence must be at the heart of how sustainability information is developed, assured, and trusted. This is more than a milestone, it is the start of a global movement.  

“As more jurisdictions follow, we are helping to lay the ethical foundation around the world for a sustainability reporting system that serves the public interest, builds confidence, and drives meaningful change.”