ASCG - Accounting Standards Committee of Germany

What ASCG - Accounting Standards Committee of Germany does

The Accounting Standards Committee of Germany (ASCG / Deutsches Rechnungslegungs Standards Committee e.V., DRSC) is an independent, registered not-for-profit association (e.V.) established on 15 March 1998 in Berlin and formally acknowledged by the German Federal Ministry of Justice on 3 September 1998 as the private standardisation organisation for group financial reporting under Section 342 of the German Commercial Code. It develops German Accounting Standards (DRS), issues official IFRS interpretations under Section 315a(1) HGB, advises the German government and EU institutions on financial and sustainability reporting legislation, and represents Germany in international fora including the IASB's Accounting Standards Advisory Forum (ASAF, since 2012), the ISSB, and EFRAG.

Its core deliverables are non-commercial: standards, interpretations, comment letters, discussion papers, and quarterly activity reports, all published without charge on its bilingual website (www.drsc.de). A dedicated Sustainability Reporting Technical Committee complements the Financial Reporting Technical Committee, with active project work on ISSB agenda priorities, SASB standard internationalisation, EU ESRS delegated acts, the EU Taxonomy, and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

The ASCG is funded through membership fees from five statutory segments — capital-market industry, non-capital-market industry, banks, insurers, and audit firms — open to any legal entity subject to financial reporting obligations. Governance is exercised through the General Assembly, Administrative Board, Nomination Committee, Executive Committee (Präsidium), and two technical committees, led by President Georg Lanfermann and Vice President Prof. Dr. Sven Morich. Distribution and outreach occur through the website, a MailChimp-distributed newsletter, and free public discussion events; the organisation employs approximately 30 staff and operates from a single headquarters in Berlin.

Name

ASCG - Accounting Standards Committee of Germany

Legal name

Deutsches Rechnungslegungs Standards Committee e.V.

Website

https://drsc.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Accounting Standards Committee of Germany (DRSC) is Germany's statutorily recognised national private standard setter, developing German Accounting Standards (DRS), issuing IFRS interpretations, and advising government on financial and sustainability reporting, funded by membership dues from five reporting stakeholder segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accounting & Financial Reporting Standards

NAICS

Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121), Other Accounting Services (541219)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

International Standards Development & Standardization Bodies (BPADANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Standards, Norms & Technical Regulatory Bodies (BPADAAAJ), Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies (BPAIAOAC), Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI)

Keywords

• Accounting standards setting
• Financial reporting standards
• IFRS interpretations
• Sustainability reporting guidance
• Corporate reporting standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The ASCG is a not-for-profit registered association funded primarily through membership fees. Any legal entity subject to statutory financial reporting obligations or involved in financial reporting may become a member and pay dues structured by segment.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The ASCG (Deutsches Rechnungslegungs Standards Committee e.V. / DRSC) is Germany's formally acknowledged private standard-setting body that develops national accounting standards (DRS), issues official interpretations of IFRS, and provides commentary and consultation services on international sustainability and financial reporting standards. It serves as Germany's official voice in international standard-setting fora (IASB, ISSB, EFRAG) and advises the German government on financial reporting legislation.

Product overview

The ASCG (Accounting Standards Committee of Germany / DRSC) operates as Germany's national standard setter for group financial reporting, not as a traditional SaaS company. The organization offers a unified portfolio centered on its website platform and standards development services. The core offering comprises the DRSC Website providing access to German Accounting Standards (DRS), IFRS standards interpretations, sustainability reporting guidance, and consultation documents. Supporting publications include quarterly activity reports and technical committee outputs. The ASCG does not develop commercial software products but rather produces regulatory standards, guidance documents, and advisory services for the accounting and sustainability reporting profession.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• German Accounting Standards (DRS) National accounting standards developed by the ASCG pursuant to Section 342 of the German Commercial Code (HGB), providing recommendations for group financial reporting in Germany. Issued to capital market-oriented and non-capital market-oriented companies, banks, insurance firms, and audit firms via five member segments.
• IFRS Standards Interpretations

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Following the August 2022 merger of the Value Reporting Foundation (which included the SASB) into the IFRS Foundation, responsibility for the SASB Standards passed to the ISSB. The ASCG collaborates with the ISSB on sustainability standards consultations, including the SASB Standards revision (Phase 1b), the ISSB Agenda Priorities consultation, and the international applicability of SASB Standards. The ASCG hosted a public discussion on ISSB consultations with participation from ISSB member Jenny Bofinger-Schuster.
• IASB (International Accounting Standards Board) – Accounting Standards Advisory Forum (ASAF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012The ASCG has been an inaugural member of the IASB's Accounting Standards Advisory Forum (ASAF) since its establishment in 2012. ASAF provides an advisory forum where members contribute towards the IASB's goal of developing globally accepted high-quality accounting standards. ASAF generally meets four times a year for two days, normally in London. The ASCG represents Germany in this forum.
• EFRAG (European Financial Reporting Advisory Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ASCG works closely with EFRAG on European financial reporting standards including ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards). EFRAG prepares draft European Sustainability Reporting Standards for adoption by the European Commission. The ASCG coordinates its positions with EFRAG and participates in joint outreach events with EFRAG representatives on ISSB consultations.
• Schmalenbach-GesellschaftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ASCG collaborates with the Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft on the future of corporate reporting. Connectivity (Konnektivität) is cited as a guiding principle in their joint discussions on the future of financial and sustainability reporting in Germany.
• European Commission / EU InstitutionscoreOthersThe ASCG participates in EU-level standard-setting processes, including providing commentary on delegated acts related to ESRS (European Sustainability Reporting Standards) and the Voluntary Standard (VS). The ASCG monitors and responds to EU regulatory developments in financial and sustainability reporting.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG): The pan-European advisory body that provides endorsement advice on IFRS and drafts ESRS for the EU Commission. Broader incumbent operating EU-wide; ASCG participates in EFRAG processes rather than competing with it.
• International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB): The global sustainability disclosure standard-setter under the IFRS Foundation. A broader incumbent ASCG partners with (e.g., on SASB Phase 1b and Agenda Priorities consultations) and whose standards ASCG helps operationalise in Germany.
• International Accounting Standards Board (IASB): The global IFRS standard-setter. A broader incumbent that ASCG engages with via ASAF; comparable as the upstream source of the IFRS interpretations ASCG is authorised to issue under sec. 315a(1) HGB.

Others

• Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer (IDW): Germany's professional institute of auditors. Adjacent ecosystem participant representing Segment E audit firms; engages with ASCG standards through comment letters and technical guidance rather than setting them.
• Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft für Betriebswirtschaft: German academic/practitioner association for business administration with a strong accounting focus. Direct collaboration partner on the 'Connectivity' agenda for the future of corporate reporting — an adjacent rather than competing body.

Direct peers

• Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB): The US private-sector standard-setter for US GAAP. Directly comparable as a national private standard-setting organisation establishing authoritative financial reporting standards and engaging internationally (e.g., with IASB).
• Autorité des Normes Comptables (ANC): France's national accounting standards authority. Directly comparable as a national standard-setter issuing French GAAP and authoritative interpretations, coordinating with EFRAG and the IASB — a near-mirror of ASCG's role for Germany.
• Accounting Standards Board of Japan (ASBJ): Japan's national private accounting standard-setter issuing Japanese GAAP. Directly comparable as a national private body converging with IFRS, with industry-funded governance and ASAF-style international engagement.
• Organismo Italiano di Contabilità (OIC): Italy's private foundation responsible for issuing Italian accounting standards (OIC standards) for non-listed companies. Closely comparable mandate, structure (industry-funded foundation), and relationship with EU standard-setters.
• Financial Reporting Council (FRC): The UK's national accounting and corporate reporting standard-setter and regulator. Directly comparable as a national private/independent body issuing UK-adopted IFRS and UK GAAP guidance for capital-market and non-listed preparers, with stakeholder councils analogous to ASCG's segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/drscev

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ASCG - Accounting Standards Committee of Germany