ACCA: PCAOB -- There is safety in numbers

　　'A first step but not a bold step，' says ACCA welcoming a proposed reorganisation of auditing standarDS.

　　HONG KONG， June 6， 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ACCA （the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants） has today responded to the Proposed Framework for Reorganisation of PCAOB Auditing Standards （Rulemaking Docket Matter No. 40） a consultation from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

　　ACCA Council member Dr. Kenneth R. Henry said， "The PCAOB auditing standards are certainly due for reorganisation; we have had a decade with them in two series -- the interim standards and the Board's own-issued standards. It's time to bring them together."

　　In addition to his ACCA Council membership， Dr. Henry is also a CPA. This year， 2013， marks 40 years of professional accounting and auditing experience -- in Jamaica， Saudi Arabia， and the USA. Dr. Henry is currently a Clinical Associate Professor at Florida International University in Miami， Florida USA.

　　ACCA believes that the business environment gains from the adoption of global standards.Investors， who increasingly look at investments on an international basis， benefit from greater transparency and comparability; less volatility and， consequently， less risk.

　　Dr. Henry continued， "The Board recognised the need for people to find their way around the PCAOB standards; the consultation shows how they would map against the International Standards on Auditing （ISAs） issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board and the ASB standards. This proposal is a first step and will benefit users， but it is not a bold step. The Board has a golden opportunity to declare a clear destination for the standards and to demonstrate confidence in its ability to get then there in a more modern vehicle."

　　ACCA's response to the consultation stressed the long-term advantages of adopting the ISAs in a manner that preserved the improvements in standards achieved by the Board， and matters relating to filings under Federal Securities Laws. That is the right destination and it reconciles the sets of standards and provides assurance to investors that PCAOB auditing standards meet or exCeed the requirements of their international counterparts.

　　Dr. Henry concluded， "The vehicle proposed for the reorganisation is about as modern as a Model T Ford -- four digit references for standards that theoretically could accommodate 9999 diFFerent documents. That is too complicated. It also pays no attention to how this generation accesses information. When you read something on a cell phone or tablet you want to get straight to the relevant content， not worry about whether it is document 3103 or 6200. The PCAOB should seize this opportunity to take the lead in modernising."

　　Notes to editors:

　　About ACCA

　　ACCA （the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants） is the global body for professional accountants. We aim to offer business-relevant， first-choice qualifications to people of application， ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy， finance and management. As the first global accountancy body entering into China， ACCA now has over 23，000 members and 46，000 students， with 7 offices in Beijing， Shanghai， Chengdu， Guangzhou， Shenzhen， Hong Kong SAR， and Macau SAR.

　　Founded in 1904， ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity， diversity， innovation， integrity and accountability. We believe that accounting professionals bring value to economies in all stages of development. We aim to develop capacity in the profession and encourage the adoption of consistent global standards. Our values are aligned to the needs of employers in all sectors and we ensure that， through our qualifications， we prepare accountants for business. We work to open UP the profession to people of all backgrounds and remove artificial barriers to entry， ensuring that our qualifications and their delivery meet the diverse needs of trainee professionals and their employers.

　　We support our 154，000 members and 432，000 students in 170 countries， helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business， with the skills needed by employers. We work through a network of 83 offices and centres and more than 8，500 Approved Employers worldwide， who provide high standards of employee learning and development.

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