Companies Act 2014 section 1615

Further responsibility of group auditor in relation to assurance of sustainability reporting

Section 1615 sets out the additional responsibilities of a group auditor to ensure that documentation from non-EU auditors or assurance providers involved in consolidated sustainability reporting can be delivered to the Supervisory Authority on request.

• The Supervisory Authority may request additional documentation on assurance work performed by non-EU auditors or audit entities through established working arrangements with the relevant third-country authorities.
• Where non-EU auditors or independent assurance providers lack such working arrangements, the group auditor is directly responsible for ensuring that documentation of their assurance work, including relevant working papers, can be delivered to the Supervisory Authority when requested.
• The group auditor must either retain copies of the assurance documentation, agree unrestricted-access arrangements with the non-EU auditors or providers, or take other appropriate steps to secure the documentation.
• If legal or other barriers in a non-EU country prevent the transfer of working papers, the group auditor must keep evidence that proper efforts were made to obtain access and, where the barrier is non-legal, evidence that the impediment genuinely exists.