What Is Auditor Independence? Rules, Threats and Safeguards
Auditor independence explained: the SEC's reasonable-investor test, the five IESBA threats, what SOX, EU and Indian law ban, and how to check a company's auditor yourself.
Explainers on procurement, lobbying, whistle-blowing, conflicts of interest and oversight, written from public sources so you can follow the issues yourself.
Auditor independence explained: the SEC's reasonable-investor test, the five IESBA threats, what SOX, EU and Indian law ban, and how to check a company's auditor yourself.
Public companies pay audit firms to verify their financial statements. This arrangement creates conflicts that undermine the entire auditing process.
Drug regulators are supposed to protect public health. Instead, they often serve the interests of the companies they regulate.
Offshore financial centers promise privacy and tax efficiency. Their real business is helping wealthy clients hide money from tax authorities.
Environmental reviews are supposed to prevent ecological damage from major projects. Instead, they often provide legal cover for predetermined decisions.
Academic research is supposed to pursue knowledge independently. Corporate funding increasingly shapes what gets studied and what gets published.
Democratic societies depend on diverse, independent media. Increasing concentration of media ownership undermines this foundation.
Former military officers join defense contractors, then influence procurement decisions. This revolving door distorts defense spending priorities.
Companies buy carbon offsets to claim climate neutrality. Most offset projects don't actually reduce emissions, making the entire system a costly illusion.
A handful of companies control most scientific publishing, charging billions to access research often funded by taxpayers.
Correption is an independent commentary and explainer blog run by the Correption Editorial Desk. We are not an investigative newsroom: we do not run investigations, publish new allegations or name private individuals. Our articles summarise publicly reported cases, laws and research and explain what they mean. Where we refer to real cases, they come from the public record.