BDO in South Africa launches Clarity Charter to take the auditing profession forward

The Clarity Charter is, as the name implies, about being clear. Clarity, BDO says, is not only about clear thinking and clear communication, it also represents being clear about ethical boundaries and the importance of effective corporate governance at a time when the general public still regard audit firms as part of the problem.

“Public perception matters,” says Mark Stewart, CEO of BDO in South Africa. “Our shareholders, investors, clients and employees form part of the communities and society we operate in. The public’s buy-in and trust in our profession is critical to the future of auditing and, indeed, the future of financial stability and investor confidence in South Africa.”

Auditing firms in South Africa have been rocked by several scandals in recent years, which has cast doubt on the ability of the profession to self-regulate. The Clarity Charter is an answer to that. “Our Charter aims to raise the standard of our profession, beginning with ourselves. Clarity says no to shortcuts and anything other than ethical, transparent and open delivery,” says Stewart. “It’s our own personal anchor and we hope it will become a contributor to a change in the profession.”

The Clarity Charter was formally launched during an interactive digital event.

Speakers included:

• Mark Stewart, who spoke about Clarity as a strategy for the firm of the future
• Keith Farlinger, BDO’s Global CEO, who spoke about Clarity as the strongest selling point that firms can offer their clients
• Thutho Masasa, BDO’s Head of Advisory, who touched on Clarity as a business solution and how clients benefit from it
• Freeman Nomvalo, CEO of SAICA, who spoke about Clarity and the impact of pending legislative changes on the broader industry.

The event was hosted by Macfarlane Moleli.

To learn about the Clarity Charter : 

click here to watch video

Watch the launch event below :