The truth tellers: Why we need profound audit sector reform now
Article
In 2017, seemingly out of the blue, the construction giant Carillion collapsed. The official inquiry into its failure describes the situation running up to the company's collapse as 'a story of recklessness, hubris and greed'.
In this report, we highlight that dramas like this one are playing out in smaller forms in other UK businesses every year. This leaves the UK economy with significant costs.
Bad governance and poor management with too little accountability in businesses is at the heart of this problem. Auditors should be the gatekeepers helping to keep such financial mismanagement at bay, yet too often they are failing to do so.
In this first report of a three-part series, we provide an assessment of the core problems of the audit sector and their costs for society. We will also show how a reformed audit sector could be boon for a productive economy.
Related items

The heart health divide: Cardiovascular inequalities in Wales
Our third blog on cardiovascular disease in the devolved nations turns the spotlight on Wales.
AI's got news for you: Can AI improve our information environment?
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming our information environment and becoming a new front door through which the public access the news.
Apples and oranges? Scottish teachers’ pay in international context
This is the first in a series of IPPR Scotland blogs as part of our project on Employment, Productivity and Reform in the Scottish Public Sector. This project is funded by the Robertson Trust.