Final answer:
Auditing has traditionally focused on financial information, but there is a growing trend towards including environmental and social factors due to increased demands for corporate accountability. Responsible business practices recommend considering scientific, ethical, economic, and legal aspects, especially with emerging technologies. Thus, audits should indeed encompass environmental and social aspects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of whether audits should extend beyond financial information to cover environmental and social commitments touches on the broader responsibilities of corporations today. While the traditional role of an audit is to assure the accuracy and validity of financial statements, the scope of auditing is evolving to include environmental and social aspects because of increasing stakeholder demands for corporate transparency and accountability.
When approaching large-scale problems, engineers and corporations should consider various aspects which include the scientific, ethical, economic, and legal aspects. Moreover, corporations are becoming increasingly accountable for their role in social, economic, and environmental challenges. The move towards ethical practices in business, particularly in the context of emerging technologies, is complex and involves evaluating the potential impacts on society and the environment.
Therefore, extending audits to cover environmental and social commitments is in line with the broader trend of responsible business practices and addresses the need for a more comprehensive understanding of a corporation's overall impact on society.