IESBA Releases List of Prohibitions for PIEs under IESSA

Posted 08 August 2025 Written by Acts Online
Category Sustainability Reporting

Brought to you by SA Accounting Academy: In terms of the International Ethics Standards for Sustainability Assurance (IESSA), the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) has released a list of specific prohibitions for Public Interest Entities (PIEs).

The IESBA Staff implementation support publication clarifies the International Independence Standards applicable to sustainability assurance engagements. It provides a detailed summary of prohibited interests, relationships, and non-assurance services (NAS) that practitioners must adhere to when engaging with PIEs. The document is intended to serve as a high-level reference for maintaining ethical independence in the evolving field of sustainability reporting.

The publication is designed to assist a broad range of stakeholders in navigating the ethical requirements of sustainability reporting, including:

  • Sustainability assurance practitioners (SAPs), including audit firms and conformity assessment bodies;
  • Regulators and audit/assurance oversight bodies;
  • The corporate governance community and investors; and
  • Preparers of sustainability information and educational institutions.

The List of Prohibitions for PIEs in IESSA serves as a technical guide, utilizing footnotes to link specific prohibitions back to the relevant provisions within the IESSA framework. This ensures that practitioners can maintain the necessary independence and ethical rigor required for high-quality sustainability assurance engagements.

Click here to download the List of Prohibitions for PIEs in IESSA.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: You must conduct a personal independence review against the IESSA list to ensure no prohibited financial interests or personal relationships exist with a PIE client before commencing a sustainability assurance engagement.
  • For your business: Your firm must update its compliance manuals and independence monitoring software to include the specific non-assurance service (NAS) prohibitions mandated for PIEs under the IESSA framework.
  • For your clients: PIE clients must be informed that certain advisory or consulting services may be restricted or prohibited if they appoint your firm to provide sustainability assurance, requiring a review of their procurement of professional services.

Originally published at https://accountingacademy.co.za/news/read/iesba-list-of-prohibitions-for-pies-in-iessa

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