IIA IIA-CIA-Part1 - Internal Audit Fundamentals

The primary reason a chief audit executive should dedicate time and resources to the continuing professional development of internal audit staff is to ensure they have the competency to address high-priority risks. Continuous professional development ensures that audit staff are equipped with up-to-date knowledge and skills necessary to effectively audit complex and evolving risk environments, thereby contributing directly to the effectiveness and reliability of the internal audit function.

IIA standards on continuing professional development and staff competencies.

The control that would have likely prevented the fraudulent modification of vendors' banking information is management's approval being required for updates to vendors' banking information. This control would provide a layer of verification and oversight, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized and fraudulent changes.

Best practices in vendor management and internal controls over payment processes, as advocated by The IIA.

The most likely reason the chief audit executive (CAE) decided to conduct a self-assessment with independent validation is that the internal audit activity is relatively small in size and is due for an external assessment. Self-assessment with independent validation (SAIV) is an alternative approach recognized by the IIA for smaller audit functions, where a full external assessment might be impractical or overly burdensome. This method maintains the quality assurance requirements within the constraints of the organization’s size and resources.

Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) - International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF), Standard 1312 - External Assessments

An effective risk management process is indicated by the organization's ability to identify and adequately assess significant risks. This involves understanding the full range of potential risks the organization faces and evaluating their magnitude and likelihood in a way that aligns with the organization's risk appetite and capacity. This ability ensures that strategic decisions are informed and that risks are managed proactively. References: COSO Framework on Enterprise Risk Management, which outlines the importance of identifying and assessing risks in relation to an organization's objectives.

According to IIA guidance, the internal audit activity should refrain from conducting an assurance engagement for which it lacks the necessary competencies or skills. This requirement ensures that internal audits are carried out effectively and that audit conclusions are reliable. It upholds the integrity and professionalism of the internal audit function by ensuring that all engagements are performed with the requisite level of expertise.

The IIA's International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing on proficiency and due professional care.

A risk register would be most useful for an internal auditor assessing the effectiveness of the organization's risk responses. This tool lists all identified risks along with their severity, ownership, and the actions taken to mitigate them, making it a key resource for evaluating whether the responses have been effective and align with the organization’s risk appetite and management strategies.

IIA guidance on risk assessment and management

The corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy of accommodation is associated with responding to outside pressures by assuming additional responsibility. This strategy typically involves making adjustments and accepting responsibilities to address the concerns of external stakeholders, thereby fostering a positive relationship and enhancing the company's social license to operate.

CSR strategies and responses in corporate governance literature

The internal audit charter is a formal document that outlines the purpose, authority, and responsibility of the internal audit activity. Among its core functions, it specifically grants the internal audit activity the authority to access records, personnel, and physical properties essential for the performance of audit engagements. This access is crucial for enabling auditors to obtain the necessary information to conduct their work effectively and independently.

Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) - International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF)

The IIA guidance specifies that the chief audit executive (CAE) should communicate the results of the quality assurance and improvement program (QAIP) to senior management and the board. This includes providing a written conformance statement that indicates whether the internal audit activity conforms to the IIA’s International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing. This practice ensures transparency and accountability in the internal audit function and helps stakeholders understand the level of adherence to professional standards.

IIA Standard 1320: Reporting on the Quality Assurance and Improvement Program

IIA Practice Guide: Quality Assurance and Improvement Program

The statement that an employee who diverts the organization's purchases for personal use is demonstrating asset misappropriation is true regarding occupational fraud. Asset misappropriation involves the theft or misuse of an organization's assets and is one of the most common types of occupational fraud. Using organizational resources for personal benefit directly falls under this category.

Including NGO members on an assurance team when auditing corporate social responsibility adds credibility to the audit findings, particularly when these findings are positive. NGOs are generally perceived as independent and dedicated to public interest, which can enhance the perceived impartiality and trustworthiness of the audit results in matters related to social responsibility.

Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) - Advisory on Assurance Engagement for Corporate Social Responsibility

The best application of due professional care in planning the engagement is to consider the significance of the risks related to the complaints and develop appropriate assurance procedures in work programs. This approach ensures that potential risks are evaluated and addressed systematically.

Option A: Disregarding the complaints without evaluating their significance is not consistent with due professional care.

Option C: Using complaints as input for risk assessment does not violate confidentiality principles.

Option D: While discussing with management is important, it is more crucial to independently evaluate the risks and plan appropriate procedures.

IIA Standard 1220: Due Professional Care.

IIA Practice Guide: Assessing Organizational Governance.

According to IIA guidance, any additional roles beyond traditional audit functions, such as being responsible for risk management and investigation, must be explicitly defined in the internal audit charter. This document, approved by senior management and the board, delineates the scope and responsibilities of the internal audit function, ensuring clarity and proper governance. Thus, if the internal audit charter stipulates such roles, it justifies the CEO’s decision.

IIA Standard 1000 - Purpose, Authority, and Responsibility

According to IIA guidance, senior management is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the internal control system of an organization’s social responsibility program is effective. This responsibility stems from management's role in establishing and maintaining a system of internal controls that supports the achievement of organizational objectives, including those related to social responsibility.

IIA's guidance on governance, which places responsibility for the effectiveness of internal controls primarily on senior management.

This indicator suggests that the organization’s ethics program might not be well-developed if the responsibility for communicating ethics compliance is decentralized to the level of employees' direct managers without broader oversight or structured programs. Effective ethics programs typically involve centralized communication strategies that ensure consistency and comprehensiveness across the organization.

Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) - Guidance on Developing an Ethics ProgramQUESTION NO: 400

Which of the following is most likely to impair the internal audit activity's independence?

A. Undertaking audit work in an area where internal auditors lack the necessary skills.

B. Establishing an internal audit activity without documented policies and procedures.

C. Assigning compliance responsibilities to the chief audit executive.

D. Concluding that an internal control is effective without first obtaining evidence

Answer: C

Assigning compliance responsibilities to the chief audit executive (CAE) can impair the internal audit activity's independence. When the CAE has operational responsibilities, such as compliance, it may lead to a conflict of interest or self-review, both of which can compromise the independence required to objectively assess and report on the organization’s risks and controls.References: Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) - International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, particularly those concerning independence and objectivity.