A distinguishing mark of a profession is acceptance of its responsibility to the public.
The accounting profession’s public consists of clients, credit grantors, governments,
employers, investors, the business and financial community, and others who rely on the
objectivity and integrity of certified public accountants to maintain the orderly functioning of
commerce. This reliance imposes a public interest responsibility on certified public
accountants. The public interest is defined as the collective well-being of the community of
people and institutions the profession serves (emphasis added)