Chapter 3: Ethics, Independence, and Professional Judgment

3.01

The first section of this chapter sets forth fundamental ethical principles for auditors in the government environment. The second section establishes independence standards and provides guidance on this topic for auditors conducting financial audits, attestation engagements, reviews of financial statements, and performance audits under generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS). This section emphasizes the importance of independence of the auditor and the audit organization. The third section establishes the standard for the auditor’s use of professional judgment and provides related application guidance. The requirements of this chapter are intended to be followed in conjunction with all other applicable GAGAS requirements.