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Real Talk Ethics: Ethics under pressure when the rules don't give clear answers

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Overview    

Ethical dilemmas in professional practice rarely present themselves in clear-cut situations. Accounting and assurance practitioners are increasingly required to exercise strong professional judgement when faced with client red flags, suspected irregularities, commercial pressure, and uncertainty regarding compliance with laws and regulations. Knowing when to continue an engagement — and when to disengage — is critical to protecting professional integrity, managing risk, and maintaining public trust in the profession. 

This practical and thought-provoking webinar explores real-world ethical challenges encountered by practitioners and provides structured guidance on applying professional standards when concerns arise. Participants will gain insight into applying ethical frameworks, recognising fraud indicators, navigating regulatory obligations, and making defensible decisions aligned with professional and legal requirements. 

Join Caryn Maitland as she examines how practitioners can confidently respond to ethical uncertainty, apply professional scepticism, and determine when disengagement from a client relationship becomes the most appropriate and professionally responsible course of action.. 

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Learning objectives   

Attending this webinar will equip you with the following skills:  

• Identify and evaluate red flags indicating potential fraud, misrepresentation, or non-compliance in client engagements 
• Apply the NOCLAR framework and relevant professional standards when suspicion arises, even without conclusive evidence 
• Assess how commercial pressures influence professional judgement and ethical decision-making 
• Implement a structured decision-making approach to determine whether to continue, escalate, or disengage from client relationships 
• Understand the legal, professional, and practical considerations involved in ethical disengagement and risk mitigation 

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Content   

The webinar will cover the following topics:  

• Professional Ethical Framework 
  o IESBA Code of Professional Conduct 
  o NOCLAR (Non-Compliance with Laws and Regulations) 
  o Fundamental ethical principles: integrity, objectivity, professional competence and due care 

• Fraud, Misrepresentation and Red Flags 
  o ISA 240 (Revised): Auditor responsibilities relating to fraud 
  o Indicators of management override 
  o Professional scepticism and judgement 
  o Distinguishing suspicion versus evidence 

• Regulatory and Reporting Obligations 
  o FICA (Financial Intelligence Centre Act) reporting obligations 
  o Suspicious and unusual transaction reporting 
  o Thresholds for escalation and regulatory reporting 

• Commercial Pressure and Ethical Risk 
  o Fee dependence and client concentration risk 
  o Deadline pressure and engagement quality considerations 
  o ISQM 1: Quality management and firm responsibilities 
  o Over-reliance on management representations 

• Decision-Making Under Uncertainty 
  o Ethical decision-making frameworks 
  o Risk assessment: regulatory, reputational, and legal exposure 
  o Stay vs escalate vs disengage analysis 

• Disengagement and Client Exit 
  o Ethical and professional disengagement procedures 
  o Documentation and defensibility of decisions 
  o Communication with management and those charged with governance 
  o Successor communication and professional clearance 

• Professional Risk and Consequences 
  o Regulatory scrutiny and disciplinary processes 
  o Reputational risk and liability exposure 
  o Personal versus firm accountability