The IFRS Foundation has approved new five-year operating and financing plans for the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), outlining the strategic priorities and funding arrangements for both boards through 2031. 

For the ISSB, the plan focuses on transitioning from its initial seed-funding model to a more sustainable, long-term funding structure as adoption of its sustainability reporting standards continues to expand. The Foundation has secured funding from philanthropic, jurisdictional, and other contributors to support the ISSB’s priorities during 2027–2031. 

The IFRS Foundation also announced plans to expand the ISSB’s multi-location operating model, including a new office in Geneva, Switzerland, expected to open next year. 

Established in 2021, the ISSB develops global sustainability disclosure standards designed to provide investors with consistent information on companies’ sustainability-related risks and opportunities. In June 2023, it issued its first standards, IFRS S1 (General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information) and IFRS S2 (Climate-related Disclosures). 

According to the IFRS Foundation, more than 45 jurisdictions are currently using or adopting ISSB Standards, with companies in 18 jurisdictions expected to begin issuing reports based on the standards by 2027. 

The Foundation also emphasized that the IASB and ISSB remain independent boards, operating alongside each other under the oversight of the IFRS Foundation Trustees and working together to develop complementary standards covering financial and sustainability-related information. 

The funding structure has previously attracted scrutiny in the U.S. In 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) raised concerns about the IFRS Foundation’s support for the ISSB and questioned whether its expanded sustainability reporting role could affect its traditional focus on accounting standards. The IFRS Foundation reiterated that the IASB and ISSB operate and are funded independently.