Definition
ISSA 5000, General Requirements for Sustainability Assurance Engagements, was issued by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB) in 2024. It is a framework-neutral standard that covers any sustainability topic and either limited or reasonable assurance. The IAASB set its effective date for assurance engagements on sustainability information reported for periods beginning on or after December 15, 2026, with earlier application permitted. Jurisdictions adopt it on their own timetables.
Why it matters in an audit or review
ISSA 5000 is not a US standard. In the US, practitioners follow the AICPA attestation standards, and the AICPA's Auditing Standards Board has proposed sustainability sections that draw on ISSA 5000. US firms with international clients or group reporting chains meet it when a foreign component or parent reports under it.
Example
Illustrative: a US subsidiary's sustainability data is included in a European parent's report assured under the local adoption of ISSA 5000. The parent's practitioner asks the US team for evidence on the subsidiary's emissions inputs.
Common mistakes
- Assuming ISSA 5000 is binding for US attestation work.
- Applying one effective date to every jurisdiction, because each adopter may set its own.
Sources
- IAASB, ISSA 5000, General Requirements for Sustainability Assurance Engagements, https://www.iaasb.org/issa5000
- IAASB, ISSA 5000 Fact Sheet and FAQs on applicability, ISAE 3000 and ISAE 3410, https://www.iaasb.org/issa5000
Definitions paraphrase AICPA and FASB guidance; read the standard itself before relying on a requirement. Example figures are illustrative. This page is guidance, not professional advice. Report an error