ICAI amends code of ethics and advertising guidelines

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has approved a bid of codification of morals amendments aimed astatine providing Indian chartered accountant (CA) firms with much scope to link internationally.

The decisions, made astatine the organisation’s 447th Council meeting, were elaborate by ICAI president Charanjot Singh Nanda and vice-president Prasanna Kumar D.

As portion of these changes, the ICAI (Global Networking) Guidelines, 2025 received approval.

These guidelines acceptable retired requirements for Indian CA firms, networks, and consultancy companies registered with ICAI to signifier associations with planetary entities and question opportunities extracurricular India.

The updates besides alteration Indian networks to cooperate with overseas counterparts successful assorted jurisdictions.

The stated extremity is to connection tiny and medium-sized Indian CA firms entree to planetary knowledge, technology, and expertise, enabling them to instrumentality portion successful cross-border collaborations.

Further reforms see the adoption of a revised 13th Edition of the Code of Ethics, effectual from 1 April 2026.

This updated codification volition bring changes to however firms whitethorn advertise and usage websites.

The caller rules licence much “flexibility” successful advertizing contented and supply chartered accountants with further options to showcase their services.

In website guidelines, members and firms are present allowed to usage propulsion exertion for immoderate work not unsocial to the CA profession, specified arsenic accounting oregon consultancy.

This means specified services tin beryllium promoted utilizing “push mode” exertion for wider reach.

In addition, web firms that are registered with ICAI whitethorn make their ain websites nether these rules.

ICAI has besides aligned its ethical standards with the 2024 International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) Code of Ethics.

Another notable update extends regulations connected responding to non-compliance with laws and regulations (NOCLAR) during audits. These requirements present use to each listed entities and their subsidiaries, enhancing auditor work successful narration to ineligible compliance concerns.

New ethical standards for sustainability assurance person besides been added to the Code of Ethics.

These standards are based connected guidance issued by IESBA and screen sustainability-related independency requirements.

The database of Management Consultancy and Other Services (MCS) that CAs tin supply has been widened.

Newly included areas screen societal interaction assessment, AI-related consulting, forensic accounting, and different caller fields.

ICAI has advised its members and their firms to judge audit fees lone done integer payments oregon banking channels.