Public Interest

In the auditing standards setting environment, we often hear the term “public interest” used to support proposed changes or develop new standards. But what does it actually mean? In this paper, AASOC’s Consideration of the Public Interest, the Auditing and Assurance Standards Oversight Council clarifies the term “public interest” by focusing on the following key points: who are AASOC’s “public”; what are the interests of AASOC’s public; and how AASOC assesses whether an action, decision, or policy is in the public interest.

Public Interest