KC 4.4 - Internal Auditing and Quality Assurance

The main role of auditing is to identify and report problems, while the role of QA is to find and implement solutions for those problems. QA should be a leadership position, emphasizing the strong interpersonal activities involved in making improvement occur. While QA performs many appraisals, it strives to be independent of the activities being appraised. Auditing, by nature, has a negative role; QA, by practice, should have a positive role. Confusion between the two roles frequently leads to a negative image of QA.

According to the CBOK, some of the skills and activities that an internal auditor has are not applicable to QA analysts.

· Internal auditors must be knowledgeable of the Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing and are required to comply with those standards in the performance of their work.

· Internal auditors review the means of safeguarding assets and verify the existence of assets.

· Internal auditors verify compliance to corporate policies, plans, procedures, and applicable laws and regulations.

· Internal auditors normally coordinate their activities and work in conjunction with the organization’s firm of external auditors.

· Internal auditors have direct lines of communication to senior corporate officers and frequently to the organization’s board of directors.