"A buyer’s guide to assurance on non-financial information" from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) and the WBCSD is a must-read for companies interested in exploring the notion of obtaining a third-party independent opinion on the integrity of their operational and financial KPIs and/or ESG information outside of the audited financials (wherever it may be disclosed, e.g., annual report, CSR report, sustainability report) in response to legal or regulatory requirements and/or investor or other stakeholder demand, for management decision-making or compensation, or for any other reason.
The guide explains the concept of assurance and its benefits; outlines the range and types of available assurance services and related considerations; details the key features of - and considerations relevant to - an assurance engagement, and the engagement and assurance processes; provides examples of reasonable and limited assurance reports, and much more.
See the release, and our prior report: "Sustainability Disclosure: External Assurance." This post first appeared in the weekly Society Alert!