IFAC Mandates Sustainability Training for Professional Accountants

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has introduced significant revisions to the International Education Standards (IESs), making sustainability competencies a mandatory component of professional accountants’ training. The updates establish a global benchmark for sustainability reporting and assurance, reinforcing the profession’s role in promoting transparency and accountability in corporate sustainability disclosures.

The revised IESs integrate sustainability-focused skills—such as analysis, reporting, and assurance—into the foundational education of aspiring accountants. “These revisions ensure that professional accountants develop the right competencies to support high-quality sustainability reporting and assurance,” said Lee White, IFAC Chief Executive Officer.

Key updates include:

• Integrated Sustainability Approach: Sustainability considerations are now embedded across all aspects of professional accounting education.
• New Assurance Competence Area: Specialized skills in sustainability assurance are now a training requirement.
• Strengthened Business Acumen: Enhanced emphasis on strategic thinking related to sustainability issues.
• Behavioral Competencies: New training designed to equip accountants for ethical decision-making in sustainability-related assessments.
• Expanded Explanatory Materials: Additional guidance to support global implementation and adoption of these new standards.

IFAC has also modernized IES 6, introducing integrity and authenticity as core principles, revising equity standards, and updating guidance for hybrid and remote professional assessments. These changes aim to ensure that accountants worldwide remain trusted experts capable of delivering reliable sustainability-related financial and non-financial information.

As demand for high-quality sustainability reporting grows, IFAC’s updated education standards signal a crucial shift in preparing accountants to navigate evolving regulatory frameworks and support businesses in their sustainability commitments.