Zoekresultaten

Zoekopdracht: faculteit: "FEB" en publicatiejaar: "2008"

AuteurT. van Aalst
TitelSustainability assurance : a case study of sustainability assurance practice of a professional accountant firm.
BegeleiderB.G.D. O’Dwyer
Jaar2008
FaculteitFaculteit Economie en Bedrijfskunde
SamenvattingThere is a world-wide growth observed in sustainability reporting and sustainability assurance (KPMG 2005, p. 4 and p. 5), whereby the growth in sustainability assurance is especially among professional accountant firms (O’Dwyer et al. 2007, p. 2). Both practices are relatively new for companies and assurance providers which is illustrated in the fact that both practices are voluntary and that there is not a generally accepted assurance and reporting standard. Although, standards and guidelines are emerging. Sustainability assurance must enhance the credibility of sustainability reports (KPMG 2002, p. 18). However, much sustainability assurance practice itself has to date been of questionable robustness, reliability and consistency (Dando and Swift 2003, p. 195), especially when provided by accountants (Anonymous 2007, p. 33; Dando and Swift 2004, p. 195 and p. 198; O’Dwyer and Owen 2005, p. 225). This is illustrated by prior research questioning the credibility of sustainability assurance practice (Adams and Evans 2004; Anonymous 2007; Ball et al. 2000; Boele and Kemp 2005; Dando and Swift 2003; Gray 2000; O’Dwyer 2001; O’Dwyer and Owen 2005, 2007; Wallage 2000). Further, Free et al. (2008, p. 2) note that little is presently known about the process by which audits in new fields, such as sustainability assurance, have been developed. In addition, Power (2003a, p. 379) notes that very little is known about auditing in practical. Therefore this research has done a scrutiny of sustainability assurance practice of a professional accountant firm. There is a focus on the sustainability assurance process in general and more in detail there is looked at how the sustainability assurance process deals with stakeholder inclusivity and the completeness issue. There is looked at stakeholder inclusivity and the completeness issue, because in prior literature it is especially questioned how assurance providers and the assurance process deal with these issues. The research is performed over a 5 month period, from 1 February 2008 to 30 June 2008. In-depth interviews were conducted with key persons providing sustainability assurance within the professional accountant firm. In addition there is looked at source documentation related to sustainability assurance. The interviews were concentrated on the sustainability assurance practise in general; the development, concerns and complexities, the methodology used etc. Further there was a focus in the interviews on stakeholders, stakeholder involvement and the completeness of a sustainability report. The findings reveal that providing advice to clients is important in the sustainability assurance practice. Providing advice to clients seems important to ensure the completeness of a sustainability report, to help clients and to legitimize the sustainability assurance practice with clients. The advisory role of the assurance provider is also pictured in the construction of the sustainability assurance team of the professional accountant firm. It is a virtual group where persons from advisory cooperate with persons from assurance. The client becomes dependent on the assurance provider (because of the advice that is provided), but it is revealed that at the same time the assurance provider is also dependent on the client in determining their assurance approach. In fact there is a co-evolution of the client and the assurance providers approach. The paper concludes with the implications of these findings for the future of sustainability assurance and suggestions for future research are subsequently discussed. There is a world-wide growth observed in sustainability reporting and sustainability assurance (KPMG 2005, p. 4 and p. 5), whereby the growth in sustainability assurance is especially among professional accountant firms (O’Dwyer et al. 2007, p. 2). Both practices are relatively new for companies and assurance providers which is illustrated in the fact that both practices are voluntary and that there is not a generally accepted assurance and reporting standard. Although, standards and guidelines are emerging. Sustainability assurance must enhance the credibility of sustainability reports (KPMG 2002, p. 18). However, much sustainability assurance practice itself has to date been of questionable robustness, reliability and consistency (Dando and Swift 2003, p. 195), especially when provided by accountants (Anonymous 2007, p. 33; Dando and Swift 2004, p. 195 and p. 198; O’Dwyer and Owen 2005, p. 225). This is illustrated by prior research questioning the credibility of sustainability assurance practice (Adams and Evans 2004; Anonymous 2007; Ball et al. 2000; Boele and Kemp 2005; Dando and Swift 2003; Gray 2000; O’Dwyer 2001; O’Dwyer and Owen 2005, 2007; Wallage 2000). Further, Free et al. (2008, p. 2) note that little is presently known about the process by which audits in new fields, such as sustainability assurance, have been developed. In addition, Power (2003a, p. 379) notes that very little is known about auditing in practical. Therefore this research has done a scrutiny of sustainability assurance practice of a professional accountant firm. There is a focus on the sustainability assurance process in general and more in detail there is looked at how the sustainability assurance process deals with stakeholder inclusivity and the completeness issue. There is looked at stakeholder inclusivity and the completeness issue, because in prior literature it is especially questioned how assurance providers and the assurance process deal with these issues. The research is performed over a 5 month period, from 1 February 2008 to 30 June 2008. In-depth interviews were conducted with key persons providing sustainability assurance within the professional accountant firm. In addition there is looked at source documentation related to sustainability assurance. The interviews were concentrated on the sustainability assurance practise in general; the development, concerns and complexities, the methodology used etc. Further there was a focus in the interviews on stakeholders, stakeholder involvement and the completeness of a sustainability report. The findings reveal that providing advice to clients is important in the sustainability assurance practice. Providing advice to clients seems important to ensure the completeness of a sustainability report, to help clients and to legitimize the sustainability assurance practice with clients. The advisory role of the assurance provider is also pictured in the construction of the sustainability assurance team of the professional accountant firm. It is a virtual group where persons from advisory cooperate with persons from assurance. The client becomes dependent on the assurance provider (because of the advice that is provided), but it is revealed that at the same time the assurance provider is also dependent on the client in determining their assurance approach. In fact there is a co-evolution of the client and the assurance providers approach. The paper concludes with the implications of these findings for the future of sustainability assurance and suggestions for future research are subsequently discussed.
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