Governance Assurance &
Internal Audit
Independent assurance that strengthens leadership confidence
As regulatory expectations increase and tolerance for governance failure narrows, leadership needs more than periodic certification audits.
They need independent, risk-focused assurance that governance is operating as intended, before regulators, customers or certification bodies ask the questions.
This work sits within the broader outcomes we support across what we help organisations achieve, providing outsourced and co-sourced internal audit and assurance services that help leadership see issues early, make informed decisions and avoid surprises.
What this helps you achieve
Independent assurance before scrutiny
Leadership gains an objective, defensible view of whether governance, risk management and controls are effective ahead of regulatory review, certification or external audit.
Early warning of governance breakdowns
Internal audit is used as a forward-looking tool, identifying emerging weaknesses, unclear accountability or system drift before they become incidents or findings.
Reduced audit surprises
Structured, ongoing assurance reduces last-minute remediation and unexpected findings during external audits or regulatory inspections.
What this typically includes
This work is tailored to the organisation’s risk profile, maturity and governance needs, not delivered as a standard checklist.
Outsourced internal audit functions
Independent delivery of internal audit services, providing objectivity, continuity and governance insight without the overhead of a full internal team.
Co-sourced internal audit support
Augmentation of existing internal audit or risk functions, adding specialist expertise, capacity and independence where required.
Management system internal audits
Internal audits across information security, AI governance and integrated management systems and are focused on governance effectiveness, risk ownership and evidence rather than formality.
Supplier and third-party audits
Assessment of critical suppliers and partners to provide assurance over extended risk and compliance obligations.
Risk-focused audit programmes
Design and delivery of audit programmes aligned to organisational risk, regulatory exposure and leadership priorities rather than static audit cycles.
How this work is approached
Internal audit should enable better decisions, not create noise.
Our approach emphasises:
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independence and professional judgement
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proportional, risk-based audit planning
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clear linkage between findings and leadership accountability
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reporting designed for executive and board discussion
Audits are conducted with the understanding that leadership, not auditors, own the outcomes.
How this fits within the wider governance framework
Governance assurance and internal audit often sit alongside:
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digital trust and regulatory readiness activities
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cybersecurity, AI and information governance
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integrated management systems
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board and executive oversight structures
Together, these elements provide a coherent assurance framework that supports confidence under scrutiny.
Supplier and third-party assurance
Many organisations rely on complex supplier and partner ecosystems that introduce material operational, cyber and compliance risk. Supplier and third-party audits provide independent assurance that critical partners meet governance, security and operational expectations.
This work supports leadership teams in identifying third-party risk early, strengthening oversight and demonstrating due diligence to support of broader regulatory readiness.
Who this is for
This work is particularly relevant for:
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Chief Risk Officers and risk leaders
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CIOs and CISOs with accountability beyond IT
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CEOs, Boards and audit committees
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Organisations operating in regulated or high-scrutiny environments
This work is best suited to organisations that value independent judgement, early insight and leadership-level assurance and may not be suitable for organisations seeking checklist-driven audits or certification-only assurance.
FAQ
What is governance assurance, and how does it differ from certification audits? Governance assurance focuses on whether responsibilities, controls and decision-making operate effectively in practice. While certification audits assess conformity to specific standards, governance assurance provides leadership with independent insight into how governance performs under real conditions and scrutiny.
How does internal audit support leadership and boards? Internal audit provides independent assurance to leadership and boards by identifying governance gaps early, validating control effectiveness and highlighting areas of emerging risk. This enables informed decision-making and reduces the likelihood of unexpected findings during regulatory or external audits.
Can internal audit be outsourced or co-sourced? Yes. Many organisations choose to outsource or co-source internal audit to access independent expertise, specialist knowledge or additional capacity while retaining appropriate oversight and ownership internally.
How Engagements Typically Begin
Most engagements start with a focused readiness conversation or assessment.
This allows leadership to clarify exposure, priorities and next steps before any larger programme is considered.
There is no obligation to proceed beyond this point, only clarity.
If you are responsible for operational performance, risk or governance and want confidence that your approach will stand up under scrutiny: we invite you to start with a readiness conversation.