Advocate Internal Auditing
Advocacy is defined by The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) as instilling pride in the internal audit profession, encouraging change, and building relationships with organizations and stakeholders that impact the profession globally.
Join the global advocacy effort and access the following tools to help you promote and support the internal audit profession.
Advocacy at The IIA
At The IIA, advocacy is actively reaching out on behalf of internal auditors everywhere to promote and elevate the value of the work they do, and to educate and influence key stakeholders. The Institute is hard at work in developing relationships which broaden the business world’s understanding of internal auditing and of The IIA as the profession’s global voice, acknowledged leader, recognized authority, and principal educator. Engaging with stakeholders at the local, national, and regional levels is vital to The IIA’s advocacy efforts. Within this context, stakeholders include oversight bodies, regulators, government officials, standard-setting bodies, board of directors, audit committee members, executive management, external auditors, shareholders, customers, and the business community at large.
The IIA and Institutes throughout the world are advocating internal auditing by building and maintaining long-term relationships. These relationships are selected by The IIA’s Global Advocacy Committee (GAC) and the Global Board of Directors. The GAC is comprised of members representing various countries/regions including the United Kingdom, Asia, Europe, South Africa, and the United States. In collaborating with various IIA Institutes around the world, The IIA has begun relationships with international organizations such as The Association of Chartered Accountants (ACCA), The World Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the Basel Committee.
The IIA is currently advocating internal auditing to the following organizations:
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC)
IFAC has 2.5 million members and is the federation of accounting bodies, i.e., AICPA, CICA, etc. throughout the world. IFAC’s International Auditing and Assurance Boards (IAASB) develop the International Standards on Auditing (ISA’s). IFAC member bodies, by virtue of their membership in IFAC, agree to converge to IFAC standards unless prohibited by law. Changes to ISA’s are eventually reflected in auditing standards at the national level.
IFAC’s standard setting process is monitored and advised by over 30 prominent organizations including:
- Basel Committee
- World Federation of Exchanges
- International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI)
- International Organizations of Securities Commissions
- The World Bank
- PCAOB
Since The IIA’s adoption of a global advocacy strategy, The IIA and IFAC have signed a memorandum of understanding citing opportunities to work together in support of good governance. The IIA participates in Consultant Advisory Group (CAG) meetings of the IFAC Standards and Ethics Committees and responds to all relevant exposure drafts.
The International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI)
INTOSAI is the global professional organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) in countries that belong to the United Nations or its specialized agencies. INTOSAI develops the International Standards for SAIs that are the top national auditors in each country and the external auditor in the public sector. For example, the Comptroller General of the US is a member of INTOSAI.
SAIs play a major role in auditing government accounts and operations as well as promoting sound financial management practices and overall accountability in their governments.
The IIA and INTOSAI have signed a memorandum of understanding. In the memorandum, both institutions emphasize the need to cooperate as equal partners as well as interact between internal and external audit auditors. The IIA participates in INTOSAI Professional Standards Committee (PSC) and Performance Auditing and Internal Control subcommittees and responds to all relevant exposure drafts. The IIA and INTOSAI provide input, experience, and recommendations to each other’s guidance and standard setting process.
What are the Desired End Results of Our Advocacy Efforts?
The IIA’s desired results are to:
In October 2010, a new International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF) Oversight Council was formed to serve as an independent evaluator and advisor to the IIA Global Board of Directors on the rigor of The IIA’s standard-setting process. This international council is charged with monitoring the process for developing the IPPF’s authoritative guidance for internal auditing professionals around the world. Organizations represented on the Oversight Council include:
- IFAC
- INTOSAI
- World Bank
- OECD
- National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD)
The council’s oversight places additional rigor on top of The IIA’s existing standard-setting process.
Value Proposition
The IIA’s vision is to be the global voice of the internal audit profession: advocating its value, promoting best practices, and providing exceptional service to its members. The IIA has developed an easy-to-read value proposition that you can share with multiple audiences in understanding and promoting the profession.
Promoting the Profession
On behalf of the internal audit profession and IIA members, The Institute works tirelessly to elevate the profession and enhance professionalism. Building awareness of the value of internal auditing is a key component of The IIA’s advocacy efforts. The IIA offers a variety of resources designed to support your efforts in promoting the profession.
The IIA's Press Room
Find the latest IIA news about internal auditing in The IIA's Press Room.