Who We Are:
The Professional Ethics Committee (“PEC”), under the
Operations Division of the New York State Society of Certified Public
Accountants (“NYSSCPA”) was created under Article XI of the bylaws. Its
authority and jurisdiction are defined in Article XII of the bylaws.
What We Do:
1. Reviewing the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”)
Code of Professional Conduct (“Code”), adopted by the NYSSCPA to ensure it is
adequate under current conditions, and recommend changes to the NYSSCPA’s Board
of Directors in the event that it becomes necessary in order to adhere to New
York state laws and/or regulations.
2. Reviewing complaints received by the
NYSSCPA alleging violations of the Code, NYSSCPA bylaws, professional standards,
and state and federal laws and regulations for possible remedial or punitive
action to be taken by the AICPA/and or the PEC, and when applicable, other state
societies.
3. Providing comments on the AICPA exposure drafts
and/or discussion papers addressing proposed revisions to the Code and its
interpretations.
4. Providing comments on exposure drafts to the
International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants, the International
Federation of Accountants, and national and state regulatory bodies.
5.
Assisting the NYSSCPA in the promotion of public awareness and confidence in the
integrity, objectivity, competence and professionalism of its members through
the NYSSCPA’s publications and educational programs.
6. Identifying
practices and emerging professional ethics issues that should be addressed and
brought to the attention of the NYSSCPA membership.
The PEC meets bimonthly and conducts conference calls in months when no
in-person meetings are scheduled. The PEC conducts an open meeting, open
to non PEC members, and where discussions are not confidential in nature, and a
confidential executive session where the PEC considers cases investigated by the
AICPA and those that are being presented for concurrence. The PEC considers the
AICPA’s recommendations and will vote to concur, or not, during confidential
sessions. The executive session is open only to PEC members due to the required
confidentiality of all parties involved in ethics matters. Members of the PEC
obligate themselves to maintain confidentiality as required by the rules of the
NYSSCPA and the PEC.
Who Should Join:
Any member interested in joining the Professional Ethics
Committee should fill out the Committee Application
Form.