In staffing today's audit functions, audit executives need a realistic strategy for obtaining top talent to handle growing demands

LEGISLATION SUCH AS THE U.S. SARBANES-OXLEY Act of 2002 is requiring public companies to take steps to strengthen corporate governance, mandate attestation of financial reporting and controls, and declare use of ethical business practices. Virtually all businesses, public and private, understand the need to evaluate how to respond to what are now standards for governance and financial disclosure, and they are more interested than ever in managing potential risks to their operations and reputation.

Efforts to improve corporate governance bring an unprecedented focus on audit services. The practice of internal auditing is becoming a proactive discipline with more deliberate tools, as the new regulatory mandates represent significant risks to an organization if not adequately addressed. Consequences include both penalties for noncompliance and market sensitivity often resulting in loss of customer base, destruction of investor confidence, and a tarnished brand or reputation.

These changes are creating a new paradigm in audit staffing. The bar has been raised for internal auditors, as they are increasingly relied upon as internal control and risk management experts whose advice is sought throughout the company. Chief Audit Executives will need to look for more experienced audit practitioners to help their company implement governance changes, compliance-reporting procedures, disclosure controls, codes of conduct, mechanisms for complaint reporting, and protection for stakeholders including employees.

The Road to a Smoother Audit

To create a more productive working relationship with auditors, the organization needs to be able to clearly describe its preventive processes and the detective controls that prove they work as expected. A main premise is that controls serve an important purpose to ensure that processes achieve the desired business objectives and that controls are not in place simply to generate positive audit findings or to comply with regulations. After all, a customer would not feel safe if the restaurant only complied with health codes to keep the inspectors at bay. They would be happier if the restaurant handled food with care to keep customers healthy, happy and improve their overall dining experience.

IT is no different. An organization that uses effective controls to improve their processes typically has far better availability, lower amounts of unplanned work, better security, and incidentally, smoother audits. This is where PureAudit has the expertise to search for your IT Auditors, and your risk specialist. PureAudit partners have been in the business of audit for the last 35 years. We know what a good auditor is.

 Welcome to PureAudit, specialists in Audit, Corporate Governance, Risk Management, Computer Audit, Compliance and Information Security, and fraud investigations across Europe and Internationally.

Our personal and confidential service is built on extensive market knowledge and unparalleled commitment. We take a great deal of pride from the fact that we have developed a loyal network of national and international organizations that use our service on an on-going basis, benefiting from our market-leading advertised selection process.

Whether as a client looking to fill a vacancy or a candidate seeking a new position we can act effectively on your behalf. We do this by listening carefully to your requirements, offering practical advice on what approach to take in the current market conditions and working closely with you to achieve your goal. We pride ourselves on the quality of our service.

Better audits, less fraud

In addition, PureAudit partners proudly support audit industry associations. We are members of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the Information Systems and Control Association (ISACA) and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), and filled key positions with these professional institutes.

PureAudit Executive Search Head Quarters is in The Netherlands, and has International partner offices in USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India, S. Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines, the U.K, Italy, The Netherlands, South Africa and Eastern Europe.