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When an internal auditor elects to pursue certification, he or she takes a big step toward establishing a professional reputation that speaks loudly of integrity, dedication, and commitment to both the profession and his or her organization. This commitment is reflected in findings from the CBOK 2015 Global Internal Audit Practitioner Survey. For example: Forty-three percent of respondents worldwide say they hold at least one internal audit certification or qualification. The primary certification held globally is the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) (held by 30% of respondents worldwide). The most popular internal audit specialty certification is the Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA) (held by 9% of respondents worldwide). Non-internal audit certifications are held by 60% of respondents worldwide. Forty or more hours per year of internal audit training is achieved by 61% of respondentsworldwide.  Survey results also reveal which certifications are most popular in different parts of the world, providing valuable information for internal audit practitioners, aspiring internal auditors, and chief audit executives (CAEs). Other stakeholders such as regulators, executive management, audit committees, and executive recruiters will also find the information useful for purposes related to standards setting, benchmarking, and hiring. CBOK is the largest ongoing study of internal auditors in the world, with participation from 14,518 practitioners from 166 countries.

The evolution of the internal audit profession toward a more value-added risk assurance function continues to move forward. While technical skills are needed for day-to-day work, analytical/critical thinking and communication are personal skills that continue to be at the top of any chief audit executive’s (CAE’s) wish list. Practitioners with these skills have a higher probability of overcoming any technical deficiencies and stepping up to meet stakeholders’ value-added expectations. To find practitioners with these skills, CAEs need to have a deliberate talent management plan. They should prioritize identifying those candidates with key personal skills through behavioral assessments, looking at diverse academic backgrounds. When it is not feasible to hire staff for particular skills or needs, they can consider using resources in other areas of the organization (co-sourcing) or obtaining support from outside the organization (outsourcing). Finally, CAEs should establish development programs that further improve on personal skills while augmenting industry-specific knowledge and other technical skills. This report supports its conclusions with results from the CBOK 2015 Global Practitioner Survey, the largest ongoing study of internal auditors in the world. 

In 1941, when The Institute of Internal Auditors (The IIA) was founded, there was no internet, personal computers did not exist and open global communication among private citizens was a dream. Fast-forward to 2016: Technological innovation is rapid and disruptive, and touches almost every aspect of our lives. People and machines are becoming increasingly interconnected, accelerating digitization and shaping the Internet of Things. And almost every business today is, at its core, a technology business − one that relies on IT not only to operate, but also to innovate and enable future success. Another dramatic change that has occurred since The IIA’s founding: the number of companies across industries, and the globe, that are positioning women in board-level and leadership positions in increasing numbers. This is why, as The IIA celebrates its 75th anniversary, we chose to interview only female internal audit leaders for the latest edition of our Internal Auditing Around the World series. These women represent positive change in the business world and in the internal audit profession. Therefore, we believed they could offer a unique perspective on how technology is transforming internal audit functions for the better.

The requirements placed on the Internal Audit function (IAF) by internal and external stakeholders seem to be constantly increasing. As a result of the financial crisis, new laws and regulations have been introduced in the financial sector and supervisory bodies have tightened up and expanded their supervision. In addition, increasing critical attention is paid in the public domain to the design and operating effectiveness of companies’ governance and their reporting of non-financial information. As the IAF plays an important role in the governance framework, there has been a corresponding increase in the requirements placed on the IAF. Various stakeholders quite regularly publish interesting documents that introduce additional requirements regarding the quality of the IAF. Recently, the Monitoring Committee for the Dutch Corporate Governance Code presented its proposals for revising this Code. These proposals envisage a prominent position for the IAF, which is considered “complementary to the external auditor.” According to the Monitoring Committee: “It is important to have a good interplay between the Executive Board, the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee, as well as a good communication with the internal audit function and the external auditor.” An important element in the proposals in relation to the effectiveness of the IAF is also included in guidance 1.5.1, which states that the Audit Committee should supervise “the relationship with - and compliance with the recommendations of and followup given to comments of - the internal auditor and external auditor”.