正如其他商業失敗一樣，安然公司的倒塌吸引了社會各界對會計職業、會計職業的公眾責任及其在金融市場中的作用的廣泛關注。我們認識到一個強有力的、勤勉、有效的會計職業是財務報告體系的重要組成部分，是保持資本市場的投資者信心的基礎。我們非常看中我們的責任。

　　問題是廣泛而復雜的。當出現商業失敗或公眾信心動搖時，資本市場中的所有參與者都有責任積極尋求理解問題的核心并找到有意義的解決措施。我們鼓勵其他市場參與者進行詳細自查并采取重要行動。

　　在一起共事的五大會計師事務所承諾，我們將盡我們的謹慎和智謀評估設計出一種能夠披露對投資者來說為重要事件的方法。我們還承諾，將針對從現在的事件中獲得的教訓采取進一步行動。

　　強化財務報告

　　我們正在為改進針對集團和特殊目的交易的披露指南，諸如與能源合同有關的市場風險等問題向證券交易委員會提出具體建議。我們將和業界同仁一起在年底公布這些建議并爭取在2001年年報中讓投資者看到這些額外信息。

　　在更大范圍內，我們將與證券交易委員會合作，它已經著手進行使我們早已過時的財務報告系統更加現代化的工作。一直以來，財務報告披露多而無用，許多其他信息而不僅僅是收入信息有必要予以披露，看起來落后的定期財務報告已經沒有能力傳遞價值和風險方面的信息。

　　會計準則制定程序相對于今天的經濟非常笨重且緩慢，我們將和他人一起，找到使這個系統更加通暢和現代化的方法。

　　提高審計效率

　　面對現在競爭性的商業環境，我們正準備在考慮現在的報告周期時評估那些對財務報告編制者、審計機構和審計人員都非常重要的風險因素。

　　去年，獨立審計效率小組提出了有關提高審計效率的全面報告。其中的許多建議已經實施，其他建議正在考慮之中。我們承諾將適時執行。

　　我們從現在的事件中吸取了很多教訓，我們將和業界同仁一起評估自律監管體制。我們認識到會計職業必須保持投資者的信心。自律無論對于投資者、會計界還是金融市場都是有好處的，我們知道改革是必須的。我們將用正確的方法使我們的餓工作得到提高。

　　英文原文

Statement From Big Five CEOs

　　Copyright © 2001， PR Newswire

　　Joseph F. Berardino， Andersen

　　Stephen G. Butler， KPMG

　　James E. Copeland， Jr.， Deloitte & Touche

　　Samuel A. DiPiazza， PricewaterhouseCoopers

　　James S. Turley， Ernst & Young

NEW YORK， Dec. 4 /PRNewswire/ —— The following is being issued jointly by Andersen， KPMG， Deloitte & Touche， PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young：

　　As with other business failures， the collapse of Enron has drawn attention to the accounting profession， our role in America's financial markets and our public responsibilities. We recognize that a strong， diligent， and effective profession is a critically important component of the financial reporting system and fundamental to maintaining investor confidence in our capital markets. We take our responsibility seriously.

　　The issues are broad and complex. When businesses fail and public confidence wanes， all involved in the capital markets have a responsibility to actively seek to understand the core problems and pursue meaningful solutions. We encourage other market participants to engage in self-scrutiny and take significant steps.

　　Working together， our five firms are committing our attention and resources to evaluate and chart a course to address issues important to investors. We are also committed to future action based on insights gained from current events.

　　Enhancing Financial Reporting

　　We are developing specific recommendations to the SEC for improved disclosure guidance on related party transactions， special purpose entities （SPEs）， and issues related to market risks， including those relating to energy contracts. We will work with the profession to submit these recommendations by the end of the year， and urge that this additional information be available to investors in 2001 annual reports.

　　On a broader scale， we will work with the SEC as it begins the process of modernizing our financial reporting system， which is long overdue. Too often， financial statement disclosures are plentiful but may lack meaning. Many different streams of information —— not just earnings —— are needed for informed decision-making， and backward-looking financial statements delivered on a periodic basis no longer are sufficient to communicate real value and risk.

　　The process of accounting standard-setting is too cumbersome and slow in today's economy. Working with others， we will find ways to streamline and modernize the system.

　　Enhancing Audit Effectiveness

　　In light of the current challenging business environment， we are preparing an assessment of risk factors that may be important for financial statement preparers， audit committees and auditors to consider during the current reporting cycle.

　　Last year， the independent Panel on Audit Effectiveness issued a comprehensive report on audit process improvements. Many of the recommendations have been put into place and the others are under active consideration. We are committed to timely implementation. As we learn more from the lessons of current events， we will work with others in the profession to evaluate its self-regulatory mechanism. We recognize that the profession must maintain the confidence of investors. Self-regulation is right for investors， the profession， and the financial markets， and we know that changes are needed. We will work to make the right improvements in a timely way.

　　CONTACT：

　　Michelle Hartz， +1-703-533-1915， for Andersen KPMG， Deloitte & Touche， PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young