ISSA 5000
International Standard on Sustainability Assurance 5000, General Requirements (IAASB)
Topic : ESG disclosure · Level : Sector-specific
Today
Issued by the IAASB in Nov 2024. Applies from periods starting 15 Dec 2026. Binding only where a jurisdiction or the EU adopts it.
Summary
ISSA 5000 is the IAASB's global standard for assuring sustainability information, for limited or reasonable assurance under any framework. It applies from periods starting 15 December 2026. The EU limited-assurance standard due by July 2027 builds on it.
Who is concerned
- Turnover
- not specified (set by each jurisdiction)
- Employees
- non précisé
- Listed company
- non précisé
- Sectors
- All sectors
- Triggering activities
- Assurance of CSRD, ISSB or voluntary reports
- Jurisdiction adopts it (EU, Singapore plan)
- Extraterritorial reach
- No
Assurers test value-chain data, so evidence from foreign suppliers enters the engagement file.
- Examples
- EU group under CSRD limited assurance
- SGX issuer with assured GHG data
What the law requires
- Assurer obtains evidence on reported data and its sources
- Test estimates and value-chain information, incl. Scope 3
- Document process, controls and audit trail behind each figure
- Limited or reasonable assurance conclusion, framework-neutral
Penalties
None from the IAASB; set by adopting jurisdictions and audit oversight bodies.
What this changes for a supplier in China
Assurers of EU and ISSB reporters will ask where supplier figures come from, who checked them and whether the trail is kept. Cross-checked, documented data passes; estimates get challenged.
Expected evidence
- Source documents behind each supplier figure
- Named respondents and cross-checks by role
- Site verification record (on-site visit)
Tiers : Tier 1-2