Evaluation of the role of professional ethics in ensuring transparency in auditing activities

Abstract

The impact of professional ethics on the quality of audit inspections, financial reporting transparency, and trust in audit opinions has been investigated. It has been established that ethical standards form the foundation of auditing, as they contribute to minimizing financial risks, preventing data manipulation, and increasing auditors’ responsibility to society. International and national audit ethics standards have been analyzed, their interconnections have been determined, and directions for improving regulatory mechanisms in auditing have been identified.

The aim of the study is to assess the role of professional ethics in ensuring audit transparency and to develop recommendations for enhancing compliance with ethical standards in modern conditions. To achieve this goal, a comprehensive approach has been applied, including the analysis of legal and regulatory documents to define ethical standards in auditing, a comparative method to contrast national and international regulatory mechanisms, content analysis of academic publications to identify key trends in audit ethics, and a systematic generalization method to develop recommendations for improving ethical standards and control mechanisms.

The findings demonstrate the need to harmonize audit standards in response to global challenges posed by digital transformation, strengthen regulatory oversight, and introduce effective mechanisms to ensure ethical auditor conduct. Recommendations have been developed to enhance regulatory frameworks for professional ethics, including improvements to the independent audit system, increased transparency in audit firms’ activities, expanded anti-corruption measures, and the implementation of digital technologies for monitoring ethical compliance.

Future research prospects concern the analysis of the impact of automated technologies on ethical compliance in auditing, the assessment of regulatory mechanisms’ effectiveness, and the development of innovative models for monitoring auditors’ professional conduct.