Sustainability Assurance

This book provides the first comprehensive exploration of the development, content, and significance of ISSA 5000, the groundbreaking sustainability assurance standard issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB). Comprising two parts, it offers both practical guidance and deep research insight.

Practitioners face fragmented standards, inconsistent practices, and uncertainty about regulatory expectations for sustainability assurance. Backed by rigorous cutting-edge research, practitioner insights, and the experiences of those directly involved in the standard’s drafting, the book offers a rich analysis of the global demand for sustainability assurance and the technical, ethical, and procedural principles underpinning the new standard. It addresses the challenges faced by practitioners by:

• clarifying the preconditions, ethical requirements, and risk-based methodology embedded in ISSA 5000;

• explaining the principles which guide the collection of sufficient appropriate assurance evidence;

• offering insights into experiences with sustainability assurance from case jurisdictions in the developed and developing world; and

• providing context on how regulators, investors, and markets are likely to interpret and rely on assured sustainability information.

Through explaining ISSA 5000’s risk-based model, engagement preconditions, evidence-gathering approach, and reporting requirements in clear, non-technical terms, this volume equips academics, practitioners, regulators, and other stakeholders to navigate a rapidly evolving landscape.