1. Emerging Issues and Outreach Working Group
Gary Hannaford, Working Group Chair
IESBA Meeting
June 10-12, 2013
New York, USA

2. WG was asked to develop Terms of Reference
Background
March 2013 IESBA meeting agreed to establish Emerging Issues and Outreach Working Group
WG was asked to develop Terms of Reference
Focus of the WG is two-pronged
Emerging Issues
Outreach

3. Can’t set standards in a vacuum
Emerging Issues
Can’t set standards in a vacuum
Support Board’s leadership role in ethics standard setting
Would be seen as more responsive and relevant
Proactive consideration of emerging issues will assist the Board in identifying matters in which to engage and influence

4. Increase awareness and acceptance of IESBA
Outreach
Increase awareness and acceptance of IESBA
Opportunity to hear of stakeholder concerns
Enhance Board’s awareness of the needs, cultures and values of various stakeholders
Support stakeholders’ acceptance of IESBA’s standard setting role

5. Terms of Reference – Emerging Issues
Objective
Formulate and recommend to the Board processes on how emerging issues may be identified and filtered for the Board’s consideration

6. Terms of Reference – Emerging Issues
Responsibilities
Explore and develop processes to:
Identify, collect and select emerging issues for the Board’s consideration
Discuss selected emerging issues within the Board, and the timing of such discussions
Determine who should be involved in the identification of emerging issues

7. Terms of Reference – Outreach
Objective
Formulate and recommend to the Board processes on how outreach opportunities may be identified and selected that would be of strategic importance or of benefit to IESBA and thus worth pursuing

8. Terms of Reference – Outreach
Responsibilities
Explore and develop processes to:
Identify stakeholders on which to focus outreach
Identify and select opportunities for such outreach
Determine how to involve IESBA members in outreach beyond the IESBA Chair
Determine how IESBA members are supported
Report back on outreach activities to the Board

9. Terms of reference – Ongoing role
Explore whether the WG or another working group should have an ongoing role in this initiative
Need to develop a process to measure effectiveness of the initiative with respect to both emerging issues and outreach

10. Terms of Reference – Other Matters
Importance of developing cost effective approaches given limitations on resources
Consider the role of the Planning Committee
Opportunities for leveraging existing relationships with stakeholders like NSS and member bodies
Role of Chair as primary spokesperson for IESBA
Flexibility to enable adjustments over time

11. Timeline
June 2013 – IESBA consideration of Terms of Reference
July-Aug 2013 – WG consideration of process options
Sept 2013 – Preliminary recommendations to IESBA
Dec 2013 – Final recommendations to IESBA
April 2014 onwards – Implementation

12. Matters for consideration by IESBA
IESBA members are asked for views on:
The WG’s proposed Terms of Reference; and
Whether there are other matters that should be considered
IESBA members are asked for any reactions to the proposed timeline