Re-exposure Draft, "Canadian Amendments Related to Indigenous Matters in the Canadian Standard on Sustainability Assurance (CSSA) 5000, General Requirements for Sustainability Assurance Engagements"

Sustainability information is a subject matter with relevance and impact on Indigenous Peoples. The Government of Canada has accepted the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report, which includes 94 Calls to Action. Among these, the TRC’s Call to Action 92 highlights the necessity of incorporating Indigenous rights into corporate policies and core operational activities.

The Audit and Assurance Standards Board (AASB) proposes a Canadian amendment in the CSSA 5000, General Requirements for Sustainability Assurance Engagements, that has practitioners identify and assess the risks of material misstatement that are pervasive throughout the sustainability information related to the entity’s adherence to Indigenous rights, as described in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (the UNDRIP Act) and the TRC’s Call to Action 92.

By incorporating this amendment into CSSA 5000, practitioners in Canada will be better equipped to provide assurance on sustainability reporting in a manner that considers Indigenous rights and fosters ethical corporate practices.

Background

As indicated in ED-CSSA 5000, the AASB agreed to adopt International Sustainability Standard on Assurance 5000 as an Other Canadian Standard under a new CSSA series of standards.

One of the Canadian-specific matters explored in ED-CSSA 5000 was a potential Canadian amendment related to Indigenous rights. Feedback, including from Indigenous Peoples, supported the need for more consultation.

The AASB engaged further with respondents to ED-CSSA 5000, as well as with other parties with Indigenous perspectives, to arrive at the proposed Canadian amendment in this Re-exposure Draft.