AUDIT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AS A PREREQUISITE FOR ETHICAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Abstract
The article explores the theoretical and methodological foundations of auditing a company’s financial condition in the context of developing ethical business communication in a digitalized economy. It demonstrates that modern financial reporting performs not only an accounting but also a communicative function, serving as a means of interaction between businesses, government authorities, investors, and society. It is substantiated that the audit of financial condition is a key instrument for building trust in business relations, as it combines control, analytical, and ethical functions. The study proves that an effective audit must go beyond the formal verification of reporting accuracy, transforming into a comprehensive assessment of a company’s financial stability, liquidity, risks, and development prospects. Such an approach ensures the creation of ethical communication symmetry, where users of financial information receive not only confirmation of data reliability but also an in-depth analytical interpretation of their content. Attention is focused on international practices of the expanded audit (integrated audit report), which combines financial and non-financial indicators that strengthen the communicative and social responsibility of business. It is determined that in the digital environment, the audit of financial condition becomes an interactive process involving the use of information technologies, open databases, and digital transaction trails, which enhance transparency and accountability of business entities. It has been revealed that in Ukrainian practice, there exists a gap between international auditing standards and national regulation, which requires the development of a separate standard “Audit of Financial Condition,” aimed at assessing real solvency and financial stability of enterprises. It is concluded that the audit of financial condition is not merely a technical verification procedure but a form of ethical confirmation of economic reliability that strengthens a company’s reputational capital and fosters public trust.
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