External Quality Assessment: Highest Possible Results for OIG Audit and Investigation Units
20 May 2022
In line with the Office of the Inspector General’s Charter, which states that the OIG is subject to periodic independent review against prevailing international standards and best practices, the OIG undergoes a triennial external assessment, surpassing the international standard which requires an external assessment every five years. The latest such assessment took place at the end of 2021 by IFACI Certification, an independent firm appointed in consultation with the Audit and Finance Committee.
Main Findings
- The Investigations Unit received the highest rating of “generally conforms” with Conference of International Investigators (CII) Uniform Guidelines for Investigations. The external assessors indicated that the Investigation function is “managed and staffed by a highly professional, well-resourced team who perform their duties in a sophisticated, rigorous, robust manner”, and “Investigations are handled with the required sensitivity that they deserve”.
- The Audit Unit received the highest possible overall rating of “generally conforms” in line with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing. The OIG requested the External Assessors to review the maturity level of the OIG’s processes based on leading practices in the industry. The External Assessors concluded that the Audit Unit’s overall maturity is “optimizing” - the highest possible level, based on the Institute of Internal Auditors’ Ambition Model, which assesses progress across six key areas (governance structures, services and rule of internal auditing, professional practices, performance management and accountability, people management, and organizational relationship).
The assessment identified areas for the OIG to improve, including amending its charter to formalize existing practices, and improving the internal process around agreeing management actions. An action plan has been developed to address these areas.
This most recent External Quality Assessment report [ download in English ] is now made publicly available after its submission to the Audit and Finance Committee of the Board of the Global Fund at its 18th meeting in March 2022.