KPMG partner banned from accounting after misleading regulator over Carillion
GuardianAPR 1 2022
KPMG, Deloitte Fined for Test Cheating
Image copyright:Â Mark Renders/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
These fines are appropriate because KPMG knew about the cheating as far back as 2020 but ignored it until a 2022 whistleblower complaint. The fact that many accounting firms are riddled with ethical missteps is no excuse. Certified Public Accountants have a duty to uphold the highest standards and must be punished and scrutinized until they prove capable of doing so.
Narrative B
Teaching ethics with these exams is foolish. Accountants would be better off learning from experience because the examples these tests pose are too clean-cut. Employees should be allowed to trust their gut and sound the alarm when something feels wrong.