Article Series: Sustainability Assurance: Understanding the variations in scope of engagements

The disclosure of non-financial information in the form of sustainability reports and integrated reports is now a globally established practice. Most jurisdictions across the world encourage, either through stock exchange listing requirements or through legislation, the need for companies to provide information on their non-financial performance. However, these disclosures are often criticised for failing to offer a credible account of the reporter’s sustainability performance. To address this criticism many reporters voluntarily secure third-party assurance over their disclosures.

The ADGM Academy Research Centre is pleased to publish a series of articles by Associate Professor Muhammad Bilal Farooq on the key issues related to the assurance of non-financial reports, such as sustainability reports and integrated reports, also referred to as sustainability assurance. This fourth and final article in the series provides a detailed discussion on the key differences in the scope of non-financial information assurance engagements.

Author:

Muhammad Bilal Farooq, Associate Professor, Department of Accounting & Finance
College of Business & Economics, United Arab Emirates University