2025, Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part A
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) assurance-challenges and opportunities for auditors
Author(s): Kavitha Devdas
Abstract: The growing emphasis on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting has elevated the role of auditors in assuring the credibility and reliability of non-financial disclosures. This study investigates the challenges and opportunities auditors face in delivering high-quality ESG assurance. Adopting a quantitative research design, the study surveyed 200 audit professionals using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire. Key focus areas included auditor competencies, regulatory clarity, technical challenges, and emerging business prospects in ESG assurance. The findings reveal a strong positive relationship between auditor competencies and ESG assurance quality, supported by a statistically significant correlation (r = 0.607, p< 0.01) and regression results (R² = 0.368). Factor analysis validated the multidimensional structure of ESG assurance, confirming the robustness of the measurement model. The study also highlights regulatory ambiguity and limited technical tools as major barriers, while identifying ESG assurance as a potential growth area for audit firms. The results underscore the need for regulatory standardization, continuous auditor training, and technological adoption to enhance ESG assurance practices. The study contributes valuable insights to audit literature and offers practical recommendations to stakeholders aiming to strengthen accountability and sustainability in corporate reporting.
DOI: 10.22271/27084515.2025.v6.i2a.614
Pages: 39-44 | Views: 1582 | Downloads: 963
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How to cite this article:
Kavitha Devdas. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) assurance-challenges and opportunities for auditors. Asian J Manage Commerce 2025;6(2):39-44. DOI: 10.22271/27084515.2025.v6.i2a.614
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