PwC trains 1300 staff on honesty and integrity (after a warning)

afr.com:

PwC has complied with an order to provide additional training to more than 1300 mostly tax-related partners and staff on their professional behaviour, including the need to act with honesty, integrity and to keep client information confidential.

PwC has reminded personnel that they need to act with integrity. Martin Ollman

The order was part of a punishment issued to the firm by the Tax Practitioners Board in late 2022 after it sanctioned the firm and former partner Peter Collins over the leaking of confidential government information.

The TPB, which polices tax agents, took enforcement action after ruling Mr Collins shared secret government information that was used to advise clients on how to sidestep new tax laws.

The board deregistered Mr Collins as a tax agent. PwC was also ordered to provide extra training on a six-monthly basis to relevant personnel, to create a register of staff who had signed confidentiality agreements and to report on its compliance with these orders.

The first of these reports was published by the TPB on Tuesday morning. PwC’s report states that the firm has complied with the order and has so far put 1329 personnel through a training course that reminds them about the need to act professionally and has created a centralised confidentiality agreement register.

“The TPB welcomes improvements made by PwC and all tax practitioners, to enhance professional standards, including integrity, confidentiality and conflict of interest management,” TPB chairman Peter de Cure said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for PwC said the firm had published the report, which includes the training material used, as part of a push to “enhance the firm’s transparency and culture”.

The PwC’s tax leaks scandal, first