International Standards from January 2011 - Performance Standards
Performance Standards
2000 Managing the Internal Audit Activity
The chief audit executive must effectively manage the internal audit activity to ensure it adds value to the organisation.
Interpretation:
The internal audit activity is effectively managed when:
· The results of the internal audit activity’s work achieve the purpose and responsibility included in the internal audit charter;
· The internal audit activity conforms with the Definition of Internal Auditing and the Standards; and
· The individuals who are part of the internal audit activity demonstrate conformance with the Code of Ethics and the Standards.
The internal audit activity adds value to the organisation (and its stakeholders) when it provides objective and relevant assurance, and contributes to the effectiveness and efficiency of governance, risk management and control processes.
2010 Planning
The chief audit executive must establish risk-based plans to determine the priorities of the internal audit activity, consistent with the organisation’s goals.
Interpretation:
The chief audit executive is responsible for developing a risk-based plan. The chief audit executive takes into account the organisation’s risk management framework, including using risk appetite levels set by management for the different activities or parts of the organisation. If a framework does not exist, the chief audit executive uses his/her own judgment of risks after consultation with senior management and the board.
2010.A1
The internal audit activity’s plan of engagements must be based on a documented risk assessment, undertaken at least annually. The input of senior management and the board must be considered in this process.
2010.A2
The chief audit executive must identify and consider the expectations of senior management, the board and other stakeholders for internal audit opinions and other conclusions.
2010.C1
The chief audit executive should consider accepting proposed consulting engagements based on the engagement’s potential to improve management of risks, add value and improve the organisation’s operations. Accepted engagements must be included in the plan.
2020 Communication and Approval
The chief audit executive must communicate the internal audit activity’s plans and resource requirements, including significant interim changes, to senior management and the board for review and approval. The chief audit executive must also communicate the impact of resource limitations.
2030 Resource Management
The chief audit executive must ensure that internal audit resources are appropriate, sufficient and effectively deployed to achieve the approved plan.
Interpretation:
Appropriate refers to the mix of knowledge, skills and other competencies needed to perform the plan. Sufficient refers to the quantity of resources needed to accomplish the plan. Resources are effectively deployed when they are used in a way that optimises the achievement of the approved plan.
2040 Policies and Procedures
The chief audit executive must establish policies and procedures to guide the internal audit activity.
Interpretation:
The form and content of policies and procedures are dependent upon the size and structure of the internal audit activity and the complexity of its work.
2050 Coordination
The chief audit executive should share information and coordinate activities with other internal and external providers of assurance and consulting services to ensure proper coverage and minimise duplication of efforts.
2060 Reporting to Senior Management and the Board
The chief audit executive must report periodically to senior management and the board on the internal audit activity’s purpose, authority, responsibility and performance relative to its plan. Reporting must also include significant risk exposures and control issues, including fraud risks, governance issues and other matters needed or requested by senior management and the board.
Interpretation:
The frequency and content of reporting are determined in discussion with senior management and the board and depend on the importance of the information to be communicated and the urgency of the related actions to be taken by senior management or the board.
2070 External Service Provider and Organisational Responsibility for Internal Audit
When an external service provider serves as the internal audit activity, the provider must make the organisation aware that the organisation has the responsibility for maintaining an effective internal audit activity.
Interpretation:
This responsibility is demonstrated through the quality assurance and improvement programme which assesses conformance with the Definition of Internal Auditing, the Code of Ethics, and the International Standards.
The internal audit activity must evaluate and contribute to the improvement of governance, risk management and control processes using a systematic and disciplined approach.
2110 Governance
The internal audit activity must assess and make appropriate recommendations for improving the governance process in its accomplishment of the following objectives:
· Promoting appropriate ethics and values within the organisation;
· Ensuring effective organisational performance management and accountability;
· Communicating risk and control information to appropriate areas of the organisation; and
· Coordinating the activities of and communicating information among the board, external and internal auditors and management.
2110.A1
The internal audit activity must evaluate the design, implementation and effectiveness of the organisation’s ethics-related objectives, programmes and activities.
2110.A2
The internal audit activity must assess whether the information technology governance of the organisation supports the organisation’s strategies and objectives.
2120 Risk Management
The internal audit activity must evaluate the effectiveness and contribute to the improvement of risk management processes.
Interpretation:
Determining whether risk management processes are effective is a judgment resulting from the internal auditor’s assessment that:
· Organisational objectives support and align with the organisation’s mission;
· Significant risks are identified and assessed;
· Appropriate risk responses are selected that align risks with the organisation’s risk appetite; and
· Relevant risk information is captured and communicated in a timely manner across the organisation, enabling staff, management and the board to carry out their responsibilities.
The internal audit activity may gather the information to support this assessment during multiple engagements. The results of these engagements, when viewed together, provide an understanding of the organisation’s risk management processes and their effectiveness.
Risk management processes are monitored through ongoing management activities, separate evaluations, or both.
2120.A1
The internal audit activity must evaluate risk exposures relating to the organisation’s governance, operations and information systems regarding the:
· Reliability and integrity of financial and operational information;
· Effectiveness and efficiency of operations and programmes;
· Safeguarding of assets; and
· Compliance with laws, regulations, policies, procedures and contracts.
2120.A2
The internal audit activity must evaluate the potential for the occurrence of fraud and how the organisation manages fraud risk.
2120.C1
During consulting engagements, internal auditors must address risk consistent with the engagement’s objectives and be alert to the existence of other significant risks.
2120.C2
Internal auditors must incorporate knowledge of risks gained from consulting engagements into their evaluation of the organisation’s risk management processes.
2120.C3
When assisting management in establishing or improving risk management processes, internal auditors must refrain from assuming any management responsibility by actually managing risks.
2130 Control
The internal audit activity must assist the organisation in maintaining effective controls by evaluating their effectiveness and efficiency and by promoting continuous improvement.
2130.A1
The internal audit activity must evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of controls in responding to risks within the organisation’s governance, operations and information systems regarding the:
· Reliability and integrity of financial and operational information;
· Effectiveness and efficiency of operations and programmes;
· Safeguarding of assets; and
· Compliance with laws, regulations, policies, procedures and contracts.
2130.C1
Internal auditors must incorporate knowledge of controls gained from consulting engagements into the evaluation of the organisation’s control processes.
2200 Engagement Planning
Internal auditors must develop and document a plan for each engagement, including the engagement’s objectives, scope, timing and resource allocations.
2201 Planning Considerations
In planning the engagement, internal auditors must consider:
· The objectives of the activity being reviewed and the means by which the activity controls its performance;
· The significant risks to the activity, its objectives, resources and operations and the means by which the potential impact of risk is kept to an acceptable level;
· The adequacy and effectiveness of the activity’s risk management and control processes compared to a relevant control framework or model; and
· The opportunities for making significant improvements to the activity’s risk management and control processes.
2201.A1
When planning an engagement for parties outside the organisation, internal auditors must establish a written understanding with them about objectives, scope, respective responsibilities and other expectations, including restrictions on distribution of the results of the engagement and access to engagement records.
2201.C1
Internal auditors must establish an understanding with consulting engagement clients about objectives, scope, respective responsibilities and other client expectations. For significant engagements, this understanding must be documented.
2210 Engagement Objectives
Objectives must be established for each engagement.
2210.A1
Internal auditors must conduct a preliminary assessment of the risks relevant to the activity under review. Engagement objectives must reflect the results of this assessment.
2210.A2
Internal auditors must consider the probability of significant errors, fraud, non-compliance and other exposures when developing the engagement objectives.
2210.A3
Adequate criteria are needed to evaluate controls. Internal auditors must ascertain the extent to which management has established adequate criteria to determine whether objectives and goals have been accomplished. If adequate, internal auditors must use such criteria in their evaluation. If inadequate, internal auditors must work with management to develop appropriate evaluation criteria.
2210.C1
Consulting engagement objectives must address governance, risk management and control processes to the extent agreed upon with the client.
2210.C2
Consulting engagement objectives must be consistent with the organisation's values, strategies, and objectives.
2220 Engagement Scope
The established scope must be sufficient to satisfy the objectives of the engagement.
2220.A1
The scope of the engagement must include consideration of relevant systems, records, personnel and physical properties, including those under the control of third parties.
2220.A2
If significant consulting opportunities arise during an assurance engagement, a specific written understanding as to the objectives, scope, respective responsibilities and other expectations should be reached and the results of the consulting engagement communicated in accordance with consulting standards.
2220.C1
In performing consulting engagements, internal auditors must ensure that the scope of the engagement is sufficient to address the agreed-upon objectives. If internal auditors develop reservations about the scope during the engagement, these reservations must be discussed with the client to determine whether to continue with the engagement.
2220.C2
During consulting engagements, internal auditors must address controls consistent with the engagement’s objectives and be alert to significant control issues.
2230 Engagement Resource Allocation
Internal auditors must determine appropriate and sufficient resources to achieve engagement objectives based on an evaluation of the nature and complexity of each engagement, time constraints and available resources.
2240 Engagement Work Programme
Internal auditors must develop and document work programmes that achieve the engagement objectives.
2240.A1
Work programmes must include the procedures for identifying, analyzing, evaluating and documenting information during the engagement. The work programme must be approved prior to its implementation and any adjustments approved promptly.
2240.C1
Work programmes for consulting engagements may vary in form and content depending upon the nature of the engagement.
2300 Performing the Engagement
Internal auditors must identify, analyze, evaluate and document sufficient information to achieve the engagement’s objectives.
2310 Identifying Information
Internal auditors must identify sufficient, reliable, relevant and useful information to achieve the engagement’s objectives.
Interpretation:
Sufficient information is factual, adequate and convincing so that a prudent, informed person would reach the same conclusions as the auditor. Reliable information is the best attainable information through the use of appropriate engagement techniques. Relevant information supports engagement observations and recommendations and is consistent with the objectives for the engagement. Useful information helps the organisation meet its goals.
2320 Analysis and Evaluation
Internal auditors must base conclusions and engagement results on appropriate analyses and evaluations.
2330 Documenting Information
Internal auditors must document relevant information to support the conclusions and engagement results.
2330.A1
The chief audit executive must control access to engagement records. The chief audit executive must obtain the approval of senior management and/or legal counsel prior to releasing such records to external parties, as appropriate.
2330.A2
The chief audit executive must develop retention requirements for engagement records, regardless of the medium in which each record is stored. These retention requirements must be consistent with the organisation’s guidelines and any pertinent regulatory or other requirements.
2330.C1
The chief audit executive must develop policies governing the custody and retention of consulting engagement records, as well as their release to internal and external parties. These policies must be consistent with the organisation’s guidelines and any pertinent regulatory or other requirements.
2340 Engagement Supervision
Engagements must be properly supervised to ensure objectives are achieved, quality is assured and staff is developed.
Interpretation:
The extent of supervision required will depend on the proficiency and experience of internal auditors and the complexity of the engagement. The chief audit executive has overall responsibility for supervising the engagement, whether performed by or for the internal audit activity, but may designate appropriately experienced members of the internal audit activity to perform the review. Appropriate evidence of supervision is documented and retained.
2400 Communicating Results
Internal auditors must communicate the results of engagement.
2410 Criteria for Communicating
Communications must include the engagement’s objectives and scope as well as applicable conclusions, recommendations and action plans.
2410.A1
Final communication of engagement results must, where appropriate, contain internal auditors overall opinion and/or conclusions. When issued, an opinion or conclusion must take account of the expectations of senior management, the board and other stakeholders and must be supported by sufficient, reliable, relevant and useful information.
Interpretation:
Opinions at the engagement level may be ratings, conclusions or other descriptions of the results. Such an engagement may be in relation to controls around a specific process, risk or business unit. The formulation of such opinions requires consideration of the engagement results and their significance.
2410.A2
Internal auditors are encouraged to acknowledge satisfactory performance in engagement communications.
2410.A3
When releasing engagement results to parties outside the organisation, the communication must include limitations on distribution and use of the results.
2410.C1
Communication of the progress and results of consulting engagements will vary in form and content depending upon the nature of the engagement and the needs of the client.
2420 Quality of Communications
Communications must be accurate, objective, clear, concise, constructive, complete and timely.
Interpretation:
Accurate communications are free from errors and distortions and are faithful to the underlying facts. Objective communications are fair, impartial and unbiased and are the result of a fair-minded and balanced assessment of all relevant facts and circumstances. Clear communications are easily understood and logical, avoiding unnecessary technical language and providing all significant and relevant information. Concise communications are to the point and avoid unnecessary elaboration, superfluous detail, redundancy and wordiness. Constructive communications are helpful to the engagement client and the organisation and lead to improvements where needed. Complete communications lack nothing that is essential to the target audience and include all significant and relevant information and observations to support recommendations and conclusions. Timely communications are opportune and expedient, depending on the significance of the issue, allowing management to take appropriate corrective action.
2421 Errors and Omissions
If a final communication contains a significant error or omission, the chief audit executive must communicate corrected information to all parties who received the original communication.
2430 Use of Conducted in Conformance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing
Internal auditors may report that their engagements are conducted in conformance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing , only if the results of the quality assurance and improvement programme support the statement.
2431 Engagement Disclosure of Non-conformance
When non-conformance with the Definition of Internal Auditing, the Code of Ethics or the Standards impacts a specific engagement, communication of the engagement results must disclose the:
· Principle or rule of conduct of the Code of Ethics or Standard(s) with which full conformance was not achieved;
· Reason(s) for non-conformance; and
· Impact of non-conformance on the engagement and the communicated engagement results.
2440 Disseminating Results
The chief audit executive must communicate results to the appropriate parties.
Interpretation:
The chief audit executive or designee reviews and approves the final engagement communication before issuance and decides to whom and how it will be disseminated.
2440.A1
The chief audit executive is responsible for communicating the final results to parties who can ensure that the results are given due consideration.
2440.A2
If not otherwise mandated by legal, statutory, or regulatory requirements, prior to releasing results to parties outside the organisation the chief audit executive must:
· Assess the potential risk to the organisation;
· Consult with senior management and/or legal counsel as appropriate; and
· Control dissemination by restricting the use of the results.
2440.C1
The chief audit executive is responsible for communicating the final results of consulting engagements to clients.
2440.C2
During consulting engagements, governance, risk management and control issues may be identified. Whenever these issues are significant to the organisation, they must be communicated to senior management and the board.
2450 Overall Opnions
When an overall opinion is issued, it must take into account the expectations of senior management, the board and other stakeholders and must be supported by sufficient, reliable, relevant and useful information.
Interpretation:
The communication will identify:
· The scope including the time period to which the opinion pertains.
· Scope limitations.
· Consideration of all related projects including the reliance on other assurance providers.
· The risk or control framework or other criteria used as a basis for the overall opinion.
· The overall opinion, judgment or conclusion reached.
The reasons for an unfavourable overall opinion must be stated
2500 Monitoring Progress
The chief audit executive must establish and maintain a system to monitor the disposition of results communicated to management.
2500.A1
The chief audit executive must establish a follow-up process to monitor and ensure that management actions have been effectively implemented or that senior management has accepted the risk of not taking action.
2500.C1
The internal audit activity must monitor the disposition of results of consulting engagements to the extent agreed upon with the client.
2600 Resolution of Senior Management’s Acceptance of Risks
When the chief audit executive believes that senior management has accepted a level of residual risk that may be unacceptable to the organisation, the chief audit executive must discuss the matter with senior management. If the decision regarding residual risk is not resolved, the chief audit executive must report the matter to the board for resolution.