Topic 12: Other Disclosure Issues Financial Accounting BFA201 Readings and References • Deegan Chapters 23 and 35 • AASB 101 Presentation of Financial Statements • AASB 110 Events After the Balance Sheet Date • AASB 1031 Materiality 2 Independent Study Tasks Tutorial questions (for workbooks) • Tutorial Question 1 Deegan 7th ed, Ch. 23, Challenging Question 6 (p. 791) • Tutorial Question 2 Deegan 7th ed, Ch. 23, Challenging Question 8 (p. 792) • Tutorial Question 3: Deegan 7th ed, Ch. 35, Review Question 26 (p. 1268) • Tutorial Question 4: Deegan 7th ed, Ch. 35, Review Question 30 (p. 1269) • Tutorial Question 5: Deegan 7th ed, Ch. 35, Challenging Question 38 (p. 1270) Independent study questions • Chapter 23 – Review Question 2 • Chapter 23 – Review Question 3 • Chapter 35 - Review Question 3 • Chapter 35 – Review Question 13 Learning Objectives • Understand the nature of events occurring after the balance date & apply the requirements of AASB 110 ‘Events after the Balance Sheet Date’ in the preparation of financial reports • Understand the concept of materiality & apply the requirements of AASB 1031 ‘Materiality’ in the preparation of financial reports • Also looking at: – Corporate social responsibility – Assess the role of corporate social responsibilities in the context of the corporate objective of maximising shareholders’ wealth – Identify reasons for the voluntary disclosure of information on corporate social responsibilities – How does the Framework relate to CSR? Disclosure issues in financial reporting considered • Events occurring after balance date • Materiality (re-visit) • Corporate Social Responsibility • Corporate Governance 5 Introduction • AASB 101:9 provides information about the purpose of financial statements: • Financial statements are a structured representation of the financial position and financial performance of an entity • The objective is to provide information about the financial position, financial performance and cash flow of an entity that is useful to a wide range of users in making economic decisions. • Financial statements also show the results of the management’s stewardship of the resources entrusted to it. Introduction • AASB 101:7 defines ‘general purpose financial statements’ as: • Are those intended to meet the needs of users who are not in a position to require an entity to prepare reports tailored to their particular information needs. • AASB 101:Aus7.2 defines a reporting entity as: • An entity in respect of which it is reasonable to expect the existence of users who rely on the entity’s general purpose financial statement for information that will be useful to them for making and evaluating decisions about the allocation of resources. Introduction • AASB 101:10 indicates that a complete set of financial statements comprises: • • • • • • A statement of financial position; A statement of comprehensive income; A statement of changes in equity; A statement of cash flows for the period; Notes, comprising a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information; and And (see f) Introduction • AASB 101 does not prescribe which entities must prepare general purpose financial statements • These requirements stem from the Corporations Act (Part 2M) • S. 292 (1) requires that all disclosing entities, all public companies, all large proprietary companies, and all registered schemes prepare a financial report and a directors’ report for each financial year. Introduction • S 295 (1) indicates that the financial report for a financial year consists of: • The financial statements for the year; and • The notes to the financial statements; and • The directors’ declaration about the statements and notes. • S 295 (2) indicates that the financial statements for the year are the financial statements that are required by the accounting standards. • See a previous slide for AASB 101:10 Introduction • S 296 (1) indicates that the financial report for a financial year must comply with the accounting standards • Although there are reduced requirements for what are referred to as ‘small proprietary companies’ Introduction • S 297 requires that the financial statements and notes for a financial year must give a true and fair view of the financial position and performance of the company, registered scheme or disclosing entity. • However, the concept of ‘true and fair’ is not defined by the Act nor are the concepts of ‘true and fair’ and ‘present fairly’ dealt with directly in the AASB Framework. • However, paragraph 46 of the AASB Framework indicates that the application of the qualitative characteristics and appropriate accounting standards normally results in financial reports that convey what is generally understood as a true and fair view. • Non-compliance is allowed if management concludes that compliance does not provide a “true & fair view” • AASB 101 requires detailed additional disclosures in such circumstances outlining the reasons etc for the departure Annual Directors’ Report • S 298 requires that the company must prepare a directors’ report for each financial year. • Two main parts: – General management discussion including: • Review of operations and results thereof • Details of significant changes during the year or after reporting date • Likely future developments • Entity’s performance in environmental regulations – Specific information: • Information about dividends, directors, options and indemnities, unissued shares Annual Auditors’ Report The auditor must form an opinion as to whether the: • financial report is in accordance with Corporations Act and AASB accounting standards • Financial report gives a true and fair view • auditor has been given all necessary information and explanations • company has kept financial records to enable a financial report to be prepared and audited • company has kept registers and records required by the Corporations Act Concise Financial Reports • Under S. 314 instead of sending each member a full set of financial statements and notes, the directors’ report and the auditors’ report, a company has the right to send a concise report for the financial year. • The content of these is governed by AASB 1039 Concise Financial Reports. Concise Financial Reports • Under the Act, the concise report should consist of: – Concise financial report in accordance with accounting standards – Directors’ report for the year – Statement by the auditor: • That the financial report has been audited • Whether, in the auditor’s opinion, the concise financial report complies with accounting standards – Other contents of the concise final report are: • A copy of any qualification and any emphasis of matter in the auditor’s report. • A statement that the report is a concise financial report and that the full financial report and auditor’s report will be sent free of charge. Concise Financial Reports • Under AASB 1039, the following must be included in the concise report: – – – – – A statement of comprehensive income A statement of financial position A statement of cash flows A statement of changes in equity Management discussion and analysis Concise Financial Reports • Why are concise financial reports allowed? Financial reports are overly technical and complex. • Concise financial reports: – – – – Easier to read and understand Better public relations Cost savings Dramatic increases in share ownership • On average, firms that produce concise financial reports are: – Larger – More profitable – Have a higher percentage of smaller shareholders Interim Reporting and Continuous Reporting • Two major limitations of annual reporting are: – Information is often out-dated by the time it is published; – Intra-year trends are difficult to discern • Disclosing entities are required to produce a half year financial report. These are governed by AASB 134 Interim Financial Reports – – – Set of half year financial statements; Notes to the financial statements; Directors’ declaration about the notes and the financial statements • ASX Listing Rule 3.1 requires that listed companies must immediately notify the ASX of any information concerning it that a reasonable person would expect to have a material effect on the price of the entity’s securities. General Features of Financial Reports • AASB 101 sets out seven overall considerations that need to be adhered to in the presentation of financial statements: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 • Fair presentation • Compliance with IFRS • Going concern • Accrual basis • Materiality and Aggregation • Offsetting • Frequency • Comparative General Features of Financial Reports • AASB 101 sets out seven overall considerations (CALLED GENERAL FEATURES) that need to be adhered to in the presentation of financial statements: • Fair presentation and compliance with IFRS (para. 15) – faithful representation of effects of transactions and other events; state complying • Going concern (para. 25) – when preparing financial statements need to assess ability to continue as going concern - disclose • Accrual basis of accounting (para. 27) – financial statements except cash flow prepared on accrual basis General Features of Financial Reports • • • • • Materiality and aggregation (para. 29) – each material class of similar items presented separately. Can aggregate if immaterial. Offsetting (para. 32) – do not offset assets and liabilities or income and expenses unless required or permitted in an accounting standard Frequency of Reporting (para. 36) – at least annually Comparative Information (para. 38) – must present as minimum 2 statements of financial position and other statements Consistency of Presentation (para. 45) – retain presentation and classification of items from one period to next AASB 108 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates, and Errors Accounting Policies • Accounting policies are the principles, bases or rules adopted by a company in preparing and presenting its financial reports • Policies apply to both initial recognition of items and subsequent accounting for such items • The major purpose of accounting standards is: – Reduce the choice of accounting policies; – To limit the opportunities fro creative accounting • However, it is unlikely that the existence of accounting standards will eliminate these opportunities because: – It is impossible to prepare a standard for every topic; – Many standards rely on judgement • The argument for disclosure of accounting policies chosen is so users can allow for them in making comparisons Accounting Policies • AASB 108 is the accounting standard which deals with: – Setting accounting policies – Changing accounting policies – Disclosures in the financial statements concerning accounting policies • Accounting policies may be: – Prescribed by law – Mandated by accounting standards – Based on ‘normal’ practice, or – Specifically adopted by a company • In selecting between competing policies regulators, standard setters and management should consider the relevance and reliability of the financial information provided Relevant information • size or nature (material) • timely and understandable 26 Relevant Information • Relevant information (AASB Framework Paragraph 6) is that which enables users to: • Make predictions or form expectations about the future performance of an entity; • Confirm or refute past evaluations; • Assess the accountability rendered by the preparers of the financial statements. • Information may be relevant due to its size or nature • To be relevant, information must be timely and understandable Reliable Information • Reliable information is that which is: • Free from material error; • Can be depended upon by users to represent faithfully that which it purports to represent; • In order to represent faithfully a transaction, it is necessary that the substance of the transaction be presented, rather than its legal form. • E.g. Recognising an asset and corresponding liability when accounting for a finance lease. • Reliable information is: • Neutral – free from bias • Prudent – prepared using a degree of caution • Complete – free from material error Accounting Policies A summary of accounting policies must be presented in the initial section of the notes to the financial report under AASB 108. The summary must: Include: A statement about : - GPFR - Framework used - Accounting standards and interpretations Disclose: The measurement basis used in preparing the financial report. For example, historic cost except for certain assets at fair value. Provide: A description of other accounting policies e.g. Measurement of inventories Disclose: Judgements apart from those involving estimations Accounting Policies • Accounting methods are the ways that accounting policies are applied. • If the policy is that non-current assets are depreciated annually, then the method is the way the depreciation is calculated (e.g. Reducing balance or straight line); Accounting Policies • Accounting policies can only be changed in the following circumstances (AASB 101:14): Required by an Australian Accounting Standard Results in financial statements providing reliable and more relevant information The entity shall account for the change in accordance with the transitional provisions set out in that standard Voluntary changes are applied retrospectively Where no transitional provisions are set out, the change must be applied retrospectively (as if the new policy had always applied) • In such cases the entity is required to apply the new policy prospectively from the start of the earliest period practicable. • Detailed disclosures are required Changing Accounting Estimates • Changes in accounting estimates are covered by AASB 108:32 – 38 • Accounting estimates are regularly changed as new information arises. • Changes in accounting estimates require prospective application • Example: the useful life assessment of non-current assets change due to technological advancements (i.e. The actual useful life is shorter than the original estimate of useful life. In such cases, the depreciation expense recognised in prior periods is not changed, but the remaining carrying amount of the asset is written off over its remaining (shorter) useful life • Disclosures required when changing an accounting estimate are contained in illustrative example 10.2 Correcting Errors • Corrections of prior period errors are covered in AASB 108: 41-49 • Errors may arise as a result of a mathematical error, misinterpretation of information, mistakes in applying accounting policies or fraud • Discovered errors (where material) must be corrected retrospectively by: – Restating the comparative amount in the prior period; or – If the errors occurred before the earliest prior period presented, restating the opening balances. – Note the impracticality override contained paragraphs 43 to 48 • Disclosures required when accounting for an error are contained in illustrative example 10.3 AASB 1031 Materiality Materiality S i z e AASB 1031 Omission or misstatement & N a t u r e Influence decisions? affect accountability? BFA201_13 Yes - Material No – NOT Material Yes - Material No – NOT Material 35 Materiality • The concept of ‘true and fair’ reporting does not mean absolutely complete and accurate, rather, it implies that reports are reasonably correct • Thus, some errors and omissions may occur without rendering the reports misleading • All accounting information is assessed against the concept of materiality • Immaterial errors may not be corrected, or immaterial facts may not be reported Materiality • AASB 1031:9 states that: • Information is material if its omission, misstatement or non-disclosure could adversely affect users’ decisions or management’s discharge of its accountability • Materiality assessments require judgement and apply to both the nature and amounts of misstatements • AASB 1031, provides guidelines to help determine whether the amount of an item is material Materiality • The assessment of information’s materiality is (Framework): Whether its omission or misstatement could influence the economic decisions of users • AASB 1031 para 9 states that: Information is material if its omission, misstatement or non-disclosure has the potential, individually or collectively to: Influence users’ economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the financial statements; OR Affect the discharge of accountability by the management or governing body of the entity • In deciding whether an item is material, its size and nature need to be evaluated together Materiality Guidelines – AASB 1031 1. Select base measure 2. Calculate % of error < 5% Professional NOT material judgement > 10% MATERIAL Materiality Process: • 1. Select appropriate base amount 2. Calculate error/omission amount as a percentage of the base 3. If error/omission is greater than 10% of base = material If error/omission is less than 5% of base = immaterial If between 5 and 10% – apply judgement Remember these are ‘guidelines’ only and are no substitute for professional judgement AASB 110 Events After Reporting Date Events After Reporting Date • In the period between reporting date and the date the financial statements are authorised for issue, new information often becomes available that provides additional evidence of conditions that existed at reporting date, or reveals for the first time a condition that existed at reporting date • such new information must be reflected in the financial statements • Financial statements are often not released for over 10 weeks after reporting date, and that to make them more ‘relevant’ it is sometimes appropriate to add notes giving additional information about material events that have occurred since the reporting date Events after reporting date Example TIMELINE for issuing financial reports: 31 Aug Reporting Date Draft Report 18 Sept 19 Sept Authorised for issue Profit Announcement 30 June 1 Oct Available to shareholders 15 Nov 17 Nov Approved Filed at sharewith holder ASIC meeting 43 Events after Reporting Date AASB 110 defines an after reporting date event as: • Those events, favourable and unfavourable, that occur between the end of the reporting period and the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue. • Such information or event must be • material, and • provide a clearer picture of the company’s situation at reporting date or since • The standard requires action with respect to such events in the interests of more relevant and reliable reporting Events after Reporting Date Events can be classified as: Adjusting: those which provide more information about conditions that existed at reporting date For example – settlement of a law suit which had been in process at reporting date Non-adjusting: those which do not relate to conditions existing at reporting date but which are material to an evaluation of the reports prepared at that date For example – an uninsured flood which destroys the company’s manufacturing plant 45 Events after Reporting Date AASB 110 requires that: – An adjustment to the financial statements must be made for Type 1 events – Information about Type 2 events must be disclosed in the notes attached to the financial statements Two Types of Subsequent Events Adjusting Event Test for Materiality Nonadjusting event Existing conditions NEW conditions Adjust financial report Disclose in Notes Events after Reporting Date: Process 1 2 • Identify events • Test for materiality 3 • Classify type: adjusting or nonadjusting 4 • Prepare adjusting journal entry or note. Lecture Case Study The reporting date of Krasky Ltd is 30 June 2013. The following events have taken place since reporting date: • • • • On 17 July 2013, the company settled and paid a personal injury claim from a former employee arising out of an accident that occurred in September 2012. Damages amounted to $65,000. On 31 August 2013, a building owned by the company was severely damaged by storm resulting in uninsured damages of $150,000. On 17 September 2013, the company issued 20,000 fully paid shares ($1.50 each) to acquire net assets of Brass Ltd. All events are deemed material by nature and/or amount. State whether each event would be an adjusting or nonadjusting event for Krasky Ltd according to AASB 110. 49 Solution 30 June 2013 Compensation Expenses Claims payable 65,000 65,000 Being damages payable under injury claim to former employee NOTE X. Non-adjusting events after reporting date On 31 August 2013, a storm severely damaged a building owned by the company. Uninsured damages amounted to $150,000. On 17 September 2013, the company issued 20,000 fully paid shares at an issue price of $1.50 each to acquire the net assets of Brass Ltd. 50 Other Disclosure Issues: - Corporate Social Responsibility - Social & environmental accounting - Corporate Governance Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) • …“the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society”. To fully meet their social responsibility, enterprises “should have in place a process to integrate social, environmental, ethical human rights and consumer concerns into their business operations and core strategy in close collaboration with their stakeholders” (EU, 2011) • Corporate social responsibility reporting is the information provided by the organisation on how it addresses its corporate social responsibilities. 52 Social, environmental and triple-bottomline reporting • Financial accounting is heavily regulated • Social and Environmental disclosures are largely voluntary 53 Social, environmental and triple-bottomline reporting • Social reporting • provides information about an organisation’s interaction with, and associated impacts on, particular societies • Environmental reporting • is the communication of environmental performance information by an organisation to its stakeholders • Triple-bottom-line reporting provides information about: • economic, • environmental and • social performance of an entity 54 Social, environmental and triple-bottomline reporting • Triple-bottom-line reporting remains vountary. • Entities often exclude information that portrays them in a negative light. • Sustainability • • Need to consider whether a responsibility is owed to future generations Meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations. 55 Accountability • If an organisation is focused on profits alone (using the accounting standards and Framework) then spending money on looking after social or environmental considerations is problematic. • If an organisation does not have a responsibility for an aspect of its performance, it would not be expected to be held accountable for it. • Accountability: responsibility to undertake certain actions (or refrain) and responsibility to provide an account for those actions 56 Accountability • Differing views of business responsibility: – Friedman’s view is that a business is established to make a profit and therefore everything should be focused on that. – An alternative view is that the business should be for the benefit of all stakeholders, not just finance providers (shareholders, investors) • If we accept entity has a responsibility for its social and environmental performance accountants should provide an account of social and environmental performance. Consider social licence which contributed to Gunn’s demise. 57 Links between CSR and Shareholder value There are a number of reasons why social and environmental performance can affect financial performance: • Consideration of social licence - organisations to contribute to society and not harm environment, otherwise can lose customer, employee, and community support. This means it is difficult to get financiers (which was Gunns problem). • Poor environmental performance can impact directly on various corporate assets, e.g. pollutants on land • Social and environmental credibility can impact on value of intangible assets (e.g. positive corporate reputation) • Individuals and governments increasingly likely to take legal action against organisations that damage the environment • Increase in insurance costs to fund clean-ups, etc. 58 Links between CSR and Shareholder value Figure 35.3 Deegan p. 1258 59 Stakeholder Theory Forestalling other regulation Positive Accounting Theory Motivations for social and environmental reporting Belief managers accountable Legitimacy Theory 60 Motivations for social and environmental reporting 1. Influence the perceived legitimacy of the organisation – social contract 2. Manage particular stakeholder groups – various stakeholders considered important 3. Increase wealth of shareholders and managers of the organisation 4. Belief on the part of managers that the entity has an accountability to provide information 5. To forestall efforts to introduce more onerous disclosure 61 regulations Gulf of Mexico oil spill • 20/4/10: Explosion on BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig, 80 km off the Louisiana U.S. • Kills 11 workers • Millions of litres of oil spilt • Hundreds of miles of coastline damaged • 2010 BP annual report; cost $41b – Spill response cost $10b (+1b provision) • Ongoing costs; fines; litigation; reputation? • Full Eco-impact unclear • Fishermen – livelihoods destroyed • Gov. report finds cause -“bad management” 62 Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/#num=14&id=2890475 BFA201_13 63 Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/#id=2890475&num=0 BFA201_13 64 Africa's oil spills are far from U.S. media glare • 18 May 2010 • LONDON (Reuters) - Oil gushing from an undersea well in the Gulf of Mexico has damaged BP's reputation and share price but accidents involving other companies in less scrutinized parts of the world have avoided the media glare. 65 Limitations of traditional financial accounting and AASB Framework • Financial accounting ignores many of the ‘externalities’ caused by reporting entities. • Accounting standards and the AASB Framework dictate the contents of the annual report. • Clearly these standards and the AASB Framework have limitations when it comes to requiring organisations to be accountable for their social and environmental performance. 66 Information needs of stakeholders with financial interest Issues of control and measurement Entity assumption Materiality Limitations of traditional financial accounting and the AASB Framework Liabilities discounted 67 Limitations of traditional financial accounting and AASB Framework • Focuses on information needs of stakeholders with a financial interest – This is reflected in the AASB Framework’s objective of general purpose financial reporting. • ‘Materiality’ – precludes reporting of social and environmental information — difficult to quantify costs • Liabilities often discounted to present value, future cleanup expenditures appear trivial because of this. 68 Limitations of traditional financial accounting and AASB Framework • Adopts the entity assumption – where the entity is treated as distinct from its owners and other stakeholders – transactions not directly impacting the entity are ignored – ignores externalities caused by the reporting entity, some relating to social and environmental implications of the entity’s operations • Issues of control and measurement – expenses are defined to exclude the recognition of any impacts on resources not controlled by the entity – externalities caused by the entity cannot be reliably measured, and so are not recognised 69 CSR Reporting • • • • • Number of reporting guidelines have been released internationally regarding environmental and, to more limited extent, social and sustainability To date no conceptual framework exists for environmental reporting; disclosure based on perceptions of information needs of particular stakeholder groups Disclosure of social and environmental information often based on reports that have been acknowledged as representing ‘best practice’, i.e. they have been recognised by an award Example: ACCA UK Sustainability Reporting Awards—recognise organisations that are attempting to report on their triple bottom line (economic, environmental and social performance) Mining companies led the way in producing stand-alone social and environmental reports and ‘sustainability’ reports • Organisations in other industries following the lead: Electricity, Manufacturing, Water industries • Companies also often produce additional pages of information within their annual reports on social and environmental performance 70 Safety doesn’t sell cars! • Ford Pinto: for 7 years (over 500 deaths) from fuel tanks exploding after rear-end collisions • Cost-benefit analysis: 1 life = $200,000 • $11 cost for improvement, not viable (damage automotive industry) 71 Ok Tedi mining disaster • BHP mined for copper and gold in Papua New Guinea • Ok Tedi contributed 10% of GDP • By 1990s waste clogged waterways destroying forest, killing fish, inundating villages and vegetable patches • Acid rock drainage continues to pollute 72 Corporate governance • The system by which companies are directed and controlled – objectives – risk management – performance • ASX Corporate governance principles and recommendations: 73 Corporate governance Listed entities should: establish and disclose the respective roles and responsibilities of board and management. have a board of an effective composition, size and commitment to adequately discharge its responsibilities and duties. actively promote ethical and responsible decision-making. have a structure to independently verify and safeguard the integrity of their financial reporting. promote timely and balanced disclosure of all material matters concerning the entity. respect the rights of security holders and facilitate the effective exercise of those rights. establish a sound system of risk oversight and management and internal control. ensure that the level and composition of remuneration is sufficient and reasonable and that its relationship to performance is clear. 74 Corporate Collapses • Systematic failures: • Corporate governance deficiencies • Accounting deficiencies Significant impacts on: – Customers – Suppliers – Shareholders – Employees – Policy holders 75 Next Week – Revision Copyright notice © Copyright University of Tasmania, School of Accounting & Corporate Governance All rights reserved. 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