Expert-led content
Always up to date
Practical & ready to apply
CPD accredited
Learn your way
Trusted by UK firms
Course outline:
Professional accountants increasingly face ethical decisions shaped by commercial pressure, rapid technological change and evolving expectations of professional behaviour. This course examines how the fundamental ethical principles apply in modern accounting, finance and advisory environments, with a particular focus on professional judgement rather than rules alone.
Using practical situations, the course explores how apparently minor compromises can develop into ethical drift, why AI-generated outputs require independent scrutiny and how workplace culture can either encourage or suppress constructive challenge. Participants will consider ways to protect confidentiality, maintain accountability, raise concerns and build ethical resilience in everyday professional work.
Topics covered
- Ethics under pressure: Professional judgement in a changing world – The five fundamental principles, the conceptual framework and the need for an inquiring mind.
- The ethical landscape is changing – Rising expectations, reputational risk, accelerating decisions and changing professional responsibilities.
- AI, automation and professional judgement – Automation bias, reliability of AI-generated outputs, confidentiality, data security and human accountability.
- Commercial pressure and ethical drift – How targets, deadlines, incentives and rationalisation can gradually compromise judgement.
- Culture, challenge and speaking up – Leadership behaviour, groupthink, psychological safety and responding constructively to concerns.
- Ethics as an ongoing professional responsibility – Applying ethical principles consistently across routine decisions and professional relationships.
- Building ethical resilience in a changing profession – Practical approaches to maintaining independence of thought, challenging assumptions and responding to pressure.
- The future of professional ethics – Technology, evolving expectations and the continuing importance of human judgement.
- Conclusions and takeaways – Practical steps for strengthening ethical awareness, professional courage and accountability.
Learning outcomes
- Recognise ethical and independence threats arising during statutory audit engagements.
- Apply the fundamental principles and relevant FRC Ethical Standard requirements to practical situations.
- Evaluate appropriate responses, including safeguards, consultation, documentation and circumstances where work must be declined.
CPD Hours: 1
Mercia Membership Packages
Sign your firm up to a Mercia Membership to receive exclusive discounts on a wide range of products.
2026 Training Programme
Explore our full list of events in our 2026 Training Programme.
Already a Mercia member?
This course may be included in your membership at no extra cost.
Log in to the Hub to check availability, book a live event, or access on-demand content