The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has introduced a new UK sustainability assurance standard aimed at strengthening the quality, credibility and consistency of sustainability-related disclosures.
The International Standard on Sustainability Assurance (UK) 5000 – known as ISSA (UK) 5000 – offers a comprehensive set of requirements for conducting sustainability assurance engagements, providing UK organisations with an internationally aligned framework to support investor confidence.
ISSA (UK) 5000 mirrors the global standard created by the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (IAASB), forming part of wider efforts to establish consistent approaches to sustainability assurance across markets. Its launch reflects the FRC’s continued commitment to supporting globally aligned reporting practices and ensuring organisations can operate with clear, profession-agnostic expectations.
The standard is available for voluntary adoption by UK assurance providers and is designed to cover both limited and reasonable assurance engagements. By promoting consistency in how sustainability information is assessed, the FRC aims to help organisations deliver more reliable reporting that can better inform investment decisions and strengthen trust in the UK’s position as a centre for sustainable finance.
The FRC said the new standard will bring significant benefits to companies, investors and assurance providers by supporting high-quality disclosures and reducing fragmentation in sustainability reporting. Strong stakeholder backing was received from professional bodies, firms, investors and corporates, with respondents supporting the voluntary nature of adoption and the alignment with international standards.
FRC executive director of regulatory standards Mark Babington said, “The release of ISSA (UK) 5000 marks a significant step in establishing a consistent framework for sustainability assurance in the UK. It reflects our commitment to internationally aligned standards and supports the growing demand for high-quality, assured sustainability information which users can trust.
“By underpinning investor confidence in sustainability disclosures, this standard will help UK companies access capital more efficiently and contribute to long-term economic growth.”
The organisation maintains that promoting globally aligned frameworks is essential to ensuring streamlined reporting, consistent assurance standards and reliable information for investors. ISSA (UK) 5000 is therefore expected to play a meaningful role in supporting both corporate reporting quality and the broader sustainable finance ecosystem.
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