Aug 2026· Meditari Accountancy Research· 0 citations· 56 references
Abstract
Under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), sustainability reporting assurance is mandatory and in certain countries, only statutory auditors are permitted to provide this service. For many, the service represents a new professional responsibility. This study aims to evaluate statutory auditors’ readiness to provide sustainability reporting assurance, differences in their motivations and challenges and perceived benefits for companies.
Using institutional logics as the theoretical framework, we analyzed survey responses from 283 statutory auditors based in Poland in 2024. We used descriptive statistics and selected statistical tests to evaluate auditors’ perspectives on their new responsibilities.
There are differences between auditors who declare their readiness to provide assurance services and those who do not with respect to several challenges related to the new roles, including a lack of experience and assurance-related knowledge, unfamiliarity with sustainability regulations, perceptions of the costs associated with preparing for assurance and shortages of qualified personnel. In addition, these groups also differ in their perceptions of the benefits for companies, such as increased stakeholder trust, improved reputation, better risk management, access to new markets, employee engagement and increased operating efficiency.
The findings suggest that statutory auditors’ motivations for providing assurance services are driven primarily by fiduciary logic, which is reflected in their aspirations to develop new skills and competencies as well as their interest in sustainability-related topics. In contrast, the challenges cited by auditors indicate that while those ready to provide assurance are guided by fiduciary logic focused on professional responsibility, those deterred by the heavy workloads associated with auditing financial statements or personnel shortages are guided by a commercial logic prioritizing efficiency and profitability.
It is concluded that effective auditing and assurance services are indispensable for improving financial reporting quality, strengthening corporate governance, promoting accountability, and enhancing stakeholder confidence.
Inyada, Sunday Joseph· JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND AFRI...· 0 citations
Audit failures, regulatory gaps, and the erosion of public trust in financial reporting have
raised global concerns about the effectiveness of audit oversight. This study investigates the
effect of audit regulatory frameworks on corporate reporting quality, using Nigeria as a
contextual anchor among emerging markets. It draws on global standards, theoretical models,
and empirical findings to explore the conceptual foundations, international perspectives,
practical challenges, and policy implications of audit regulation in enhancing auditor
independence, professional competence, and financial statement credibility. The findings
reveal that while regulatory frameworks have improved audit transparency and internal
governance in several economies, their effectiveness remains limited in regulatory authorities
with weak enforcement capacity. The study concludes that audit regulation must be globally
benchmarked yet locally responsive, emphasizing risk-based supervision, auditor competence,
and proactive oversight. It recommends empowering national regulatory institutions such as
the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), adopting AI-enabled audit systems,
mandating firm rotation, and enforcing sanctions for non-compliance. These measures are
essential for strengthening audit reliability, improving disclosure quality, and rebuilding
stakeholder trust across diverse economic settings
Patrick Edet Akinninyi (PhD)· Journal of Accounting and Fi...· 1 citation
This research addresses a significant gap in existing Vietnamese studies by analyzing the
readiness of the accounting and auditing ecosystem to support the country’s Net Zero 2050
commitment. The primary objective is to evaluate the current legal framework, corporate
reporting practices, and the auditing profession’s capacity to handle sustainability disclosures,
particularly those related to climate. The study employs a desk research methodology,
systematically reviewing legal documents, international standards (such as IFRS S1 and S2),
publicly disclosed corporate reports, and relevant scholarly articles. The findings reveal a
substantial discrepancy between Vietnam’s ambitious climate goals and its actual capabilities,
highlighting an incomplete legal system, low-quality and inconsistent corporate reporting, and
an emerging sustainability assurance market lacking mandatory requirements and specialized
expertise. These findings are significant as they expose critical institutional and capacity
deficiencies that may hinder Vietnam’s progress toward Net Zero. Consequently, the study
underscores the urgent need for a national roadmap mandating sustainability reporting and
auditing aligned with global standards, alongside substantial capacity-building investments
for both companies and auditors to establish a transparent and accountable information
infrastructure.
H. M. Lương· International Journal of Eco...· 0 citations
This study seeks to compare the transparency, consistency, and comprehensiveness of various
sustainability reports prepared by international organizations that have adopted the Global
Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards with those that disclose their financial statements using
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The quantitative analysis is based on
disclosure indicators, materiality, and the combination of economic and non-financial
information. The sample is based on 60 companies listed on the New York, London, and
Frankfurt stock exchanges, distributed between GRI adopters and non-adopters. The results
show that companies that follow the GRI guidelines demonstrate greater coverage and
standardization in the disclosure of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information
and in financial and non-financial performance in line with GRI guidelines. Conversely,
disclosure solely using IFRS is associated with stronger financial consistency but relatively
less correlation with sustainability variables for companies. The review indicates that the
application of GRI standards serves as a means of improving the integrity and comparability
of socio-environmental reports. It reinforces the importance of convergence between financial
and non-financial statements worldwide, particularly in the context of the international
business environment and its emphasis on sustainable companies.
S. Teixeira· Journal of Accounting and Fi...· 0 citations
The year 2025 marked an important phase in the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) with companies of a certain size in the European Union (EU) being obliged to report for the first time under CSRD rules. Following entry into force of the CSRD in January 2023, companies faced a complex set of rules and standards for their sustainability reporting practices. With the practicalities of sustainability reporting subject to the CSRD, the EU as an institutional actor is not only changing reporting rules but also delivering benefits and creating challenges, uncertainties, and certainties in companies as institutional actors. Bringing together the EU's political ambitions for sustainability reporting in connection with the European Commission's Sustainable Finance Action Plan, the European Green Deal, and the ambitions of companies to conduct profitable and sustainable business, this study argues that the EU is not only enforcing institutional change but also significantly altering the institutional environment in which companies operate. The findings of our interview‐based case study highlight the impact of the CSRD as a regulative element on normative and cultural‐cognitive factors in this enforced institutional change. The respondents include Finnish companies subject to CSRD reporting from financial years 2024 and 2025 and professionals in administrative and advisory roles in Finland and the EU. This study contributes to sustainability research by examining the perceived consequences of a significant change in the institutional environment in which EU companies operate.
Taina Tervonen, L. Kainiemi, Jarkko Levänen· Corporate Social Responsibil...· 0 citations
The investigations into effectiveness of current internal audit practices within local government is mandatory given deficiencies in their value. Using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology, a systematic review of 77 peer reviewed articles, reports, and case studies published between 2015 and 2024 was conducted. The analysis focused on audit planning, risk assessment, control evaluation and reporting practices of local governments. The findings indicate that while internal audit practice’s significant role in influencing organisational effectiveness, issues such as inconsistencies in compliance with audit standards, lack of sufficient resources and limited independence hinder their effectiveness. Notably, local governments facing financial distress display a weaker internal audit process, resulting in systematically sub‐optimal fraud detection and weak compliance oversight. Standardisation, resource allocation and stakeholder communication are areas where gaps in current practices need to be addressed to enhance transparency. The study emphasis need to utilise technology driven solutions such as data analytics in enhancing audit efficiency, increasing legislative reforms of audit independence and capacity-building initiatives of internal auditors and contributes to the discussion on how to improve the practices of internal audit in local government in order to enhance local government’s contribution to sustainable governance across the sectors. This research also contributes towards a conceptual framework to address the interface between internal audit practices and their effectiveness.
Eugene Lesego Assegaai· International Journal of App...· 0 citations
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