Carbon emissions to emerge as assurance standard

A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report
on the carbon emission performance of the world’s largest 500
companies may be an indication of an emerging assurance
standard.

The carbon disclosure project 2010 report
allows a company’s performance and the direct financial
implications of carbon and climate change to be assessed against
one standard.

PwC UK partner in sustainability and climate
change practice Alan McGill said that credible assurance standards
would eventually have to emerge because of the direct financial
impact that climate change and carbon emissions have.

An increase in public and investor interest in
company carbon emissions data is also thought to be an influencing
factor in the need for assurance standards.

Further indication that an assurance standard
is in the pipeline can be drawn from the Australian government’s
conclusion that assurance reporting by a registered auditor is
appropriate due to the financial implications of the issue.