Internal Control services

Internal controls are the activities and mechanisms which prevent or detect issues, errors or non-compliance with policies or laws and regulations, helping to define the parameters within which an organisation can operate. Controls that are well designed and function effectively will ensure risks are robustly managed in line with the Board's desired risk appetite, empowering management to operate and pursue objectives with a greater degree of confidence and certainty.

Formalised internal control frameworks are commonly defined and adopted by finance functions to mitigate risks in areas such as fraud and misreporting, with larger organisations having established frameworks that cover a broader range of operational activities, legal and compliance risks in order to promote a more uniform internal control environment and address weak links. Consistency, clarity and transparency over an organisations' key internal controls enables management teams and assurance providers to focus their oversight and challenge, as well as strengthening governance and accountability.

We recognise that in most organisations there is a clear business imperative to promote autonomy within departments and subsidiaries in support of entrepreneurial behaviours; however, this cannot excuse recklessness and an appropriate balance of control is needed. Rather than crippling the organisation in bureaucracy or maintaining ‘institutional' controls that no longer address live risks, our focus is to support our clients in developing efficiently administered, risk intelligent and pragmatic internal control frameworks that empower the organisation to be more agile and responsive in a 'safe' manner.