Ethics - Essentials of the code – micro course

The International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) and the International Audit and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) recently made the most extensive changes to the Code of Ethics in over two decades. In light of these changes, this micro course is your opportunity to refresh your knowledge of the Code and how it applies to you and your role.

Ethics is defined as a system of moral principles by which human actions and proposals may be judged good or bad, or right or wrong. The effects of your ethical decisions can be significant, not only for the stakeholders involved but for yourself. Some understand ethics to include personal characteristics, such as trust, integrity, and honesty. Others emphasise consequences; that is, considering the impact of decisions on stakeholders or acting with ‘social responsibility'. For others, ‘doing the right thing’ means you adhere to key principles, such as treating others in the same way that you would want them to treat you.

This course focuses on the key ethical pronouncement provided specifically for the global accounting profession: the IESBA Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code) issued by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). Successfully completing this course will equip you with knowledge of the Code, and how to use it to confidently resolve ethically challenging situations.

Key benefits of attending this micro course include:

• Brush up on your obligations to act ethically as a professional accountant by revisiting the International Code of Ethics for Accountants. (the Code)
• Ensure you maintain compliance with the code by navigating and interpreting its sections and guidance and how it applies to you and your role.
• Re-affirm the foundations of your ethical conduct and how to maintain trust in the accounting profession by exploring the fundamental principles of the Code.
• Be prepared to respond to ethical dilemmas by refreshing your understanding of the Code's conceptual framework and how it is used to identify, evaluate and address threats to the fundamental principles of the Code.

Learning Outcomes

By completing this micro course, you’ll be able to:

• Recognise how the International Code of Ethics for Accountants (the Code) applies to you and your role.
• Navigate and interpret the International Code of Ethics for Accountants (the Code) including sections and guidance specific to your role.
• Identify the fundamental principles of the International Code of Ethics for Accountants. (the Code)
• Understand how the conceptual framework of the International Code of Ethics for Accountants (the Code) is applied to identify, evaluate, and address threats to the fundamental principles.

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