The global economy continues to experience difficult conditions as the effects of the financial crisis—for example, on corporate cash flows and access to credit—persist. Volatility in capital markets, and issues including measurement and disclosure of exposures to sovereign debt of distressed countries, continue to create uncertainty.

The impact of these issues and uncertainty has wide-ranging financial reporting implications that often extend beyond national borders.

These and other current economic conditions present unique challenges for management of entities, those charged with governance, and auditors in meeting their responsibilities, including assessing an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and making relevant disclosures in the financial statements and, as appropriate, the auditor’s report.

In light of the current environment, the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) reminds auditors of their important responsibilities under the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs) and that the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern assumption is a matter to be considered on every audit engagement.

“Difficult economic conditions give rise to many important audit considerations, but none more important—or more difficult—than evaluating management’s assessment of an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and determining the appropriate auditor reporting in the circumstances,” says Prof. Arnold Schilder, Chairman of the IAASB.

Schilder advises auditors to remain alert throughout the audit for evidence of events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.

"We cannot stress enough the importance of professional skepticism and judgment in evaluating financial statement disclosures and the implications for the auditor’s report when a material uncertainty exists relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern,” he adds.