The coalition of businesses, regulators, accountants, stock exchanges and NGOs launched an initiative to revise the standards for international financial reporting in order to prevent a new financial crisis, writes Financial Times. The crisis raises many questions about how to rely on corporate statements. Annual reports and financial statements of banks have been particularly criticized for not having warned investors about the risks that companies take. International Integrated Reporting Committee, using the accumulated discontent as a result of the crisis, wants to make a radical change in financial reporting. The proposed new reporting model will consider not only the company’s financial position, but will also include comments on leadership, corporate policy, payment, and issues related to environmental and social responsibility. Investors focus increasingly on issues such as the impact that could have climate change on the finances of a company. Among participants in the initiative are Nestlé, Aviva, EDF, HSBC, Tata, big four auditing companies PwC, Deloitte, Ernst & Young and KPMG, a number of universities, including Harvard Business School, and influential non-governmental organizations such as Global Reporting Initiative and Accounting for Sustainability Initiative.
Read the full story