When does going concern become more than just an accounting phrase and turn into the question that determines whether a business survives?

In this episode, Wayne and Judith break down what IFRS (IAS 1) and ISA 570 really require when assessing an entity’s going concern assumption. They walk through the key steps: identifying uncertainties, assessing materiality, and determining when those uncertainties become “material uncertainties” that must be disclosed.

You’ll hear practical examples of how cash runway, refinancing, customer dependency, or covenant breaches can raise going concern questions and why boilerplate disclosures are never enough. The conversation also covers the auditor’s lens under ISA 570, including emphasis-of-matter paragraphs, audit report impacts, and how management and auditors can avoid “close call” judgment traps.

Whether you’re a finance leader, auditor, or board member, this episode gives you a clear roadmap for how to apply IFRS and ISA 570 in practice, avoid disclosure pitfalls, and have confident, evidence-based conversations about solvency and survival.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between material uncertainty and significant judgment under IAS 1
• How to evaluate going concern evidence, scenarios, and sensitivities
• When to move from “close call” to formal going concern disclosure
• The auditor’s responsibility under ISA 570 and what it means for directors
• Practical steps for improving disclosure quality and governance oversight

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