New York and London (July 2025) AccountAbility has made a formal submission to the UK Department for Business & Trade request for comment on their plans for an Oversight Regime for Assurance of Sustainability-Related Financial Disclosures.

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The submission reflects AccountAbility’s ongoing commitment to maintaining an open and fair assurance market that advocates for sustainability expertise involved in assurance engagements.

“We welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important conversation,” said Ms. Melanie O’Brien, Head of Standards at AccountAbility. “Our submission reflects the perspectives of our UK-based assurance providers and practitioners who have the expertise and capabilities necessary to truly assess sustainability data and performance.

“Using ourAA1000 Assurance Standard (AA1000AS v3) these providers promote sustainability within organizations as opposed to mere sustainability report verification.”Ms O’Brien noted. “Therefore, introducing any restrictions to limit its use in the UK assurance landscape poses a high risk that the broader UK sustainability market will be impacted.”

AccountAbility has engaged stakeholders across diverse regions, sectors, and demographics to ensure the submission reflects a broad range of perspectives.

Download the full submission to learn more about our position here.

Download a template response to make your own submission here.

Contact:
AccountAbility Standards Team
standards@accountability.org

Visit the Standards Home Page