1.1 INTRODUCTION TO INTERNAL AUDITING
Performance standard 2100 : Nature of Work
The internal audit activity must evaluate and contribute to the improvement of governance, risk management, and control processes using a systematic and disciplined approach.
1. Nature of work
a. Accord to The IIA’s Definition of Internal Auditing, the internal audit activity “helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes.”
1) These processes are closely related. The IIA Glossary (see Appendix A) defines them as follows;
a) Governance - "The combination of processes and structures implemented by the board to inform, direct, manage, and monitor the activities of the organization toward the achievement of its objectives.”
b) Risk management – “A process to identify, assess, manage, and control potential events or situations to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of the organization's objectives.”
c) Control – “Any action taken by management, the board, and other parties to manage risk and increase the likelihood that established objectives and goals will be achieved. Management plans, organizes, and directs performance at sufficient actions to provide reasonable assurance that objectives and goals will be achieved.”
i) Control processes – “The policies, procedures (both manual and automated, and activities that are part of a control framework, designed and operated to ensure that risks are contained within the level that an organization is willing to accept.”
b. Internal auditors should educate senior management and the board about best practices in governance, risk management, control and compliance.
1) Compliance is defined in The IIA Glossary as “adherence to policies, plans, procedures, laws, regulations, contracts, or other requirement.”
a) The internal audit activity must evaluate the risk involved in governance, operations, and information systems that relate to compliance with laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and contracts. The internal audit activity also must evaluate the controls regarding compliance.
2. Reasonable Assurance
a. Governance, risk management, and control processes are adequate if management has planned and designed them to provide reasonable assurance of achieving the organization's objectives efficiently and economically.
1) Efficient performance accomplishes objectives in an accurate, timely, and economical fashion. Economic performance accomplishes objectives with minimal use of resources (i.e., cost) proportionate to the risk exposure.
2) Reasonable assurance is provided the most cost-effective measures are taken in the design and implementation stages to reduce risks and restrict expected deviation to a tolerable level.
3. Basic Types of Internal Audit Engagements
a. The essential strategic function of the internal audit activity is to provide assurance services and consulting services. Thus, the Definition of Internal Auditing describes internal auditing as “an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity.”
b. Separate groups of Implementation Standards have been issued for assurance services and consulting services. These services are defined in The IIA Glossary as follows :
1) Assurance services – “An objective examination of evidence for the purpose of providing an independent assessment on governance, risk management, and control processes for the organization. Examples may include financial, performance, compliance, system security, and due diligence engagement.”
2) Consulting services – “Advisory and related client service activities, the nature and scope of which are agreed with the client, are intended to add value and improve an organization's governance. risk management, and control processes without the internal auditor assuming management responsibility. Examples include conclude counsel, advice, facilitation, and training.
4. Reporting
a. Reporting to senior management and the board provides assurance about
1) Governance
2) Risk management, and
3) Control
b. Periodic reports also are made on internal audit’s purpose, authority, responsibility and performance.
c. Reporting to senior management and the board is covered in more detail in Study Unit 6.
Stop and review! You have completed the outline for this subunit. Study multiple-choice questions 1 and 2 on page 31.