APES 110: Contribution towards Trust Building in Accounting Profession

APES 110 CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS TRUST BUILDING
MEANING AND SCOPE
Code of Ethics plays a very important role in the effective functioning of the company. Code of ethics provides
the set of language which are to be used for each and every function that the company operates. Like for the
effective functioning of the finance and accounting function Australian accounting standards plays the
important role by providing the methods as to how the particular transactions shall be recorded. If the code of
ethics is not followed then the company will soon be liquidated or else go into the liquidation. The major factor
of this decline will be the non compliance with the code of ethics which in itself is the law abiding codes. The
code of ethics is thus referred to as the written document which has been formed with the intention to have
the response of the persons who are the users and followers of these codes. The way or the language used in
the code of ethics may not be moral for the conduct of the users of the codes but it helps in achieving the
compliance with the related laws.
APES 110 issued by Accounting Professional and Ethical Standard Board Limited, defines the Professional Ethics
which needs to follow by accounting professionals mainly accountants while doing audit and framing an
opinion about the affairs of an entity (Arnold, 2016). All the professional accountants who are member of the
Professional bodies in Australia are bound to follow these codes while rendering their services. The main
objective of the code is to develop and promote the presentation of the financial statements in the transparent
and the more reliable manner. The code has been divided in three parts. First part defines the fundamental
principles which needs to followed by member of the professional bodies and also provide conceptual
framework for them to work so that they can identified if any threats are present in business or not. Second
part provides the measures of safeguarding from threats which is in line with framework need to be followed
by entity or member or both (Martinov, 2015). The third part applies for Member in Business which is generally
specific in nature establishing the conceptual framework for them.
IMAPCT ON ACCOUNTING PROFESSION
APES 110 has been made mandatorily to be followed by the members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants
in Australia. This has been further imposed by the Corporations Law of Australia and it is majorly imposed on
those members who are conducting the audit function as per the 2M chapter or on the one who is providing
the services in relation to finance sector as per the Corporations Act 2001. As per the provisions of the
legislative instruments act 2003, auditing is described as the Legislative instruments and accordingly the

auditing is required to be conducted as per the auditing standards issued by the board of the Auditing
standards. The codes of ethics have been formed for ensuring the compliance with the ethical functions
attached with the engagement of audit.
The major impact that has been laid down by the APES 110 is that the in accordance with the provisions and
the principles of APES 110 the auditor of the company is required to calculate and evaluate the threats
associated with the finance and accounting of the companies. The major threat includes – self review, self
interest, advocacy and intimidation. The auditors are required to identify these threats and provide the
safeguards as to how the same shall be removed.
The code has used two sets of words – “May” and “Should” as extensive and pervasive use and has very
limitedly used the word – “Must” and accordingly the auditor use the code as it thinks permissible ( Carey,
2014).
There are more chances that the respondents to the code of ethics are more likely to authenticate the false
and misleading financial statement in case if the language used in the code is not up to the mark.
The above statement has been considered by the board along with the economic crisis of the year of 2007 and
then the APES have been issued. Section 210 of the code has mandatorily made the provision for the practicing
member that in case new assignments of audit comes then the same shall be accepted only after having the
communication whether the new assignments have any kind of threats which can hamper the compliance with
the fundamental principles on which the APES is based. This has formed the basis for rejection or acceptance of
the assignment and has created the sense of comfort at the level of the users of the financial statements
(Chaplin, 2017).
There are five fundamental principles of the code which has formed the basis for conduct of the audit function:
- Integrity – It implies the honest relationships that is developed during the course of audit and does not
sacrifice the repute of the organization.
- Objectivity – The auditor shall not in any manner be biased relating to any form of decision.
- Professional Competence and Due Care- The services so delivered by the auditor shall be purely
professional and good.
- Professional Behavior – The behavior and the deployment as adopted by the auditor shall be accurate
and shall not bring disrepute to the profession.
- Confidentiality- The auditor is required to maintain the confidentiality of all the documents and
information which he gathered during the course of the audit (Clayton, 2015).