Why does the financial reporting profession struggle with clarity, engagement, and getting the complex things right the first time? In this episode, Wayne, Judith, and producer Chris reflect on what they’ve learned from building Financial Reporting Conversations and why tone, structure, and practical relevance matter just as much as technical accuracy.

They unpack the real gap this podcast is trying to fill, why “unknown unknowns” keep causing Blind Freddy mistakes, and how auditors and preparers can benefit from more candid, practical conversations about standards. You’ll hear how hooks, pacing, guest selection, and narrative clarity help make complex reporting issues accessible without losing rigour.

Whether you prepare financials, audit them, or oversee them at board level, this episode gives you practical insights into how better communication leads to better reporting outcomes.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “unknown unknowns” still derail financial reporting
• How tone, hooks, and structure keep complex topics engaging
• Why the profession needs more practical conversations, not just new standards
• The pitfalls Wayne and Judith see auditors and preparers repeat and how to avoid them

Financial Reporting Conversations is brought to you by Basford Consulting helping professionals go beyond compliance and get financial reporting right.

For technical insights, training, and resources that make the unknowns in financial reporting known, visit basfordconsulting.com

🔗 Connect with us:
LinkedIn: Wayne Basford & Judith Leung
YouTube: @BasfordConsulting
Website: basfordconsulting.com

Why do financial reporting frauds emerge in organisations that don’t see themselves as high-risk? In this episode, Wayne and Judith unpack the real drivers behind financial reporting fraud and explain why these risks often grow quietly inside day-to-day commercial decisions.

They break down the fraud triangle and show how pressure, opportunity, and rationalisation combine to create misstatements that feel like “just a timing adjustment” rather than a breach of standards. You’ll hear how budgets, bonuses, weak controls, related-party arrangements, and unrealistic estimates create space for financial reporting fraud to take hold, and why culture and audit committee oversight remain the strongest defences.

Whether you're preparing financials, auditing them, or reviewing them at board level, this conversation gives you clear, practical insights to recognise fraud risk early and prevent it.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How pressure, incentives, and culture drive fraud
• Where weak controls create opportunities for misstatement
• Why rationalisation makes fraud feel “justifiable”
• The early warning signs of financial reporting fraud
• The role audit committees play in prevention

Financial Reporting Conversations is brought to you by Basford Consulting helping professionals go beyond compliance and get financial reporting right.

For technical insights, training, and resources that make the unknowns in financial reporting known, visit basfordconsulting.com

🔗 Connect with us:
LinkedIn: Wayne Basford & Judith Leung
YouTube: @BasfordConsulting
Website: basfordconsulting.com

Why are so many organisations struggling with sustainability reporting even before their first S2 statement is due? In this episode, Wayne and Siobhan unpack the biggest myths they’re seeing across the market and explain why these misunderstandings are creating unnecessary work, bad advice, and real reporting risks.

They break down the areas causing the most confusion: whether S2 is only about emissions, how greenhouse gas boundaries differ from financial reporting, the truth about transition plans, what materiality really means for Group 1–3 entities, and why double materiality does not apply to S2 Sustainability Reporting. You’ll also hear practical insights on industry metrics, value chain data, scenario analysis, and the assurance implications that many preparers are missing.

Whether you're preparing your first climate statement or reviewing one, this conversation gives you clear, practical steps to approach S2 Sustainability Reporting confidently and avoid the traps that are already emerging in the market.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why S2 is not just about emissions
• How GHG boundaries can differ from financial reporting
• When a transition plan is actually required
• Why double materiality is not part of S2
• How to approach scenario analysis, industry metrics, and value chain data

Financial Reporting Conversations is brought to you by Basford Consulting helping professionals go beyond compliance and get financial reporting right.

For technical insights, training, and resources that make the unknowns in financial reporting known, visit basfordconsulting.com

🔗 Connect with us:
LinkedIn: Wayne Basford & Judith Leung
YouTube: @BasfordConsulting
Website: basfordconsulting.com