- The importance and the role of ethics in the accounting profession.
Ethics is a paramount consideration in the accounting profession. If accountants do not have ethics, it would be devastating not only to the company but also to the economy as a whole. It is because the various stakeholders of the company will be misled which includes its investors, government, employees and the public at large.
The concrete example that could be given about the effect of lack ethics in the company, economy and public at large is the case of Enron and Worldcom. The years of accounting window dressing to the effect that would make the company appear profitable when it was not so that its stock valuation would always remain high was finally uncovered. As a result, Enron was shut down by the government, it officers sent to jail and worst, it dragged the economy into recession as the public became skeptical in investing to companies for fear that they will defraud them.
- Give examples of the accounting ethical standards that should be followed by the accountant.
The most important example of accounting ethical standard is integrity and accuracy. Integrity is the soundness of character of the accountant to resist unethical requests such as what Mr. Rashid requested from Maryam Mohammed. Without integrity, accountants would easily succumbed with pressure from their bosses or worst, they could be easily bribe with perks and bonuses to cheat on the company’s financial statements such as what happened to Enron and Worldcom.
Next is accuracy. Accuracy should follow integrity because accuracy concretizes the integrity of an accountant by reflecting the genuine economic status of a company in accordance to sound accounting standards such as GAAP or Generally Accepted Accounting Practices. This is the technical aspect of an accountant’s job that must be dispensed with utmost competency because the information contained in the financial reports of the accountant serves as guides and inputs of decision makers as they decide about the economic well-being of the company.
In sum, integrity and accuracy must go together for the financial reports of accountants credible as well as accurate.