Activities
Working Groups
Enforcement Working Group (EWG)
Chair: Elizabeth Barrett, FRC, UK
Vice Chair: Jennifer Cooper, CPAB, Canada
The EWG provides a forum for enforcement officials to exchange information on effective approaches to investigating and adjudicating alleged auditor misconduct, as well as emerging trends in such enforcement matters.
Global Audit Quality Working Group (GAQWG)
Chair: Kara Stein, PCAOB, US
Vice Chair: Andrew Meek, FRC, UK
Through the GAQWG, IFIAR carries out an ongoing dialogue with the six largest international audit networks who are members of the Global Public Policy Committee (BDO, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, EY, Grant Thornton, KPMG, PwC) with the objective of improving audit quality globally.
Investor and Other Stakeholders Working Group (IOSWG)
Chair: Peter Hofbauer, APAB, Austria
Vice Chair: Anthony C. Thompson, PCAOB, US
The IOSWG organizes IFIAR’s dialogue with investor representatives and other stakeholders, in particular audit committees, and publishes information on that dialogue on the IFIAR website.
Inspection Workshop Working Group (IWWG)
Chair: Askin Akbulut, AOB, Germany
Vice Chair: Ntlambi Gulwa, IRBA, South Africa
The IWWG organizes IFIAR’s annual Inspection Workshop which provides a forum for independent audit regulators to meet and discuss inspections practices and to learn from each other. This leads to a better understanding of the different inspection regimes and the identification and development of inspection practices, and promotes greater consistency in inspecting global and other audit firms, with the aim of improving the effectiveness of inspection regimes.
Standards Coordination Working Group (SCWG)
Chair: James Ferris, FRC, UK
Vice Chair: Stacy Hammett, CPAB, Canada
The SCWG is responsible for establishing a forum for IFIAR Members to share views and concerns about standards of the IAASB and the IESBA. As part of its activities, the SCWG provides early input on projects and prepares consensus views on behalf of IFIAR Members on proposals or documents issued by standard setters.
OTHER GROUPS
Inspection Findings Survey Task Force
Sustainability Assurance Task Force
Technology Task Force
Annual Inspection Findings Survey
To help measure audit quality trends, IFIAR conducts an annual Inspection Findings Survey which informs IFIAR’s collective efforts to promote audit quality globally, complementary to individual regulators’ audit firm inspection and oversight regimes. Results are made public every year.
Meetings
Every year, IFIAR convenes a plenary meeting for Member representatives to discuss emerging regulatory issues, challenges facing the audit profession, and strategic approaches to sustainable audit quality. The organization hosts an annual workshop focused on inspection processes and challenges, enhancing insight into Members’ oversight regimes and identifying better practices. IFIAR also holds enforcement workshops with similar goals. Other meetings are held as needed throughout the year. Check back here often for updates.