How we engage with preparers
Balancing change
Generally when a new Standard is introduced or an amendment is made to an existing Standard, preparers need to make changes to the systems and processes that support the preparation of financial statements. It's important to think carefully before proposing any change.
To help us get it right, we encourage preparers to take part in our activities:
Standards development
We welcome contributions from preparers in the development of new IFRS Standards—via comments on our proposals and in outreach meetings that are often coordinated through national standard-setters and regional standard-setter groups.
Click here to view a list of consultations that are currently open for comment and here for more information about how we work with national standard setters.
Application queries
The principle-based nature of IFRS Standards can sometimes lead to differences in the interpretation of how to apply those principles. We do not have the resources to provide a technical help desk to resolve queries about individual transactions and fact-patterns. However, preparers can—often by working with their auditors—submit application queries to the IFRS Interpretations Committee, which is the Board’s interpretative body. Click here to find out whether and how to submit an application query to the Interpretations Committee.
Preparers forum
The IFRS Foundation works closely with the Global Preparers Forum (GPF), which was established in 2008. This group of preparers from around the world meets with Board members three times a year. Members of the forum provide advice on the practical implications of our proposals during the standard-setting process.
Click here to find out more about the GPF.
Resources for preparers
Implementation materials
We provide preparers with materials to support them in their implementation of new IFRS Standards. Details are available from the implementation support section of the website here.
A guide through IFRS Standards
Click here to access our online list of publications including annotated versions of our books of IFRS Standards. Click here for more information about our education activities.
Useful summaries of our Standards
We also provide useful summaries of IFRS Standards:
- Snapshots, prepared for each new Standard, are useful summaries to use, for example, when briefing audit committees and CEOs. These are accessed by reference to individual Standards here.
- Our Use of IFRS Standards Around the World document is a useful summary for briefing members of the Board of Directors or Managing Committee. It is available here.
IFRS Conferences
Click here to view the meetings diary including upcoming IFRS Conferences.
IFRS for SMEs Accounting Standard
Click here to find out about resources provided for small or medium-sized entities.
IFRS Taxonomy
Additional useful information
- Our work plan, listing all active projects, can be accessed here.
- You can register to receive email alerts about our activities here. [Registration required]
- eIFRS provides online access to IFRS Standards in many languages. It is accessible here. [Registration required]
Why we work with preparers
Preparers—companies—apply IFRS Standards in preparing financial statements. Generally, when a new Standard is introduced or an amendment is made to an existing Standard, companies need to make changes to the systems and processes that support the preparation of financial statements. To ensure that new Standards and amendments can be applied effectively, engagement with, and advice from preparers is very important to us. For these reasons, we ensure preparers are represented at all levels of our organisation, including our advisory bodies and consultative groups.
Our work with preparers allows us to:
- receive advice from those who are using the Standards throughout the standard-setting process, helping us to ensure the Standards can be applied effectively; and
- support the consistent application of Standards. Supporting consistent application underpins the Foundation’s objective that the Standards require high quality, transparent and comparable information in financial statements.
Benefits for preparers
- applying the Standards helps companies access the global markets and attract investment.
- international companies also benefit from applying a single set of global Standards across jurisdictions because the Standards provide a common financial reporting language enabling financial reporting systems and processes to be streamlined.
