ICAEW views on the proposed public-sector sustainability standard

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) has developed a draft standard for public sector sustainability reporting, aiming to set a global baseline for ESG reporting in the public sector.  The draft standard aligns with the Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and IFRS S2, while integrating elements from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
The standard is divided into two parts: one climate-related disclosures based on an entity’s own operation (which is closely aligned with IFRS S2) and another on climate-related public policy programmes (which incorporates some elements from the GRI).
ICAEW highlights potential issues such as the length of the standard, the risk of ‘greenwashing’, and the broad definition of public policy programme outcomes.
The consultation for the draft standard is open until 28 February 2025.
More information is available here.
IPSASB SRS Exposure Draft 1, Climate-related Disclosures can be accessed here.