Today The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and ACCA announced the extension of their existing memorandum of understanding (MoU). This renewed agreement will further strengthen and extend cooperation between the two bodies, allowing them to continue working closely together to advance their respective professions globally.
The MoU was signed by IIA President and CEO Anthony Pugliese, CIA, CPA, CGMA, CITP, and ACCA Chief Executive Helen Brand, OBE. Under the terms of the three-year agreement, The IIA and ACCA will focus on advancing their members’ careers, enhancing governance practices, and serving the public interest.
‘We are excited to extend our partnership with ACCA,’ said Anthony Pugliese. ‘This collaboration allows us to leverage our combined expertise to better serve our members and the broader profession. Together, we can continue to drive significant progress in internal auditing and governance to advance the public interest.’
A key component of the MoU is a focus on joint research efforts across critical topics such as cybersecurity, technology and data evolution, diversity and ESG (environmental, social and governance). In 2022, The IIA and ACCA partnered on a report exploring the implications of emerging trends and rapid business transformation on internal controls. Next year, the organisations will issue new research focused on the application of internal control concepts to sustainability and other non-financial data.
‘Over the years we’ve formed a strong relationship with The IIA which continues to benefit both memberships,’ said Helen Brand. ‘I’m delighted this will continue and look forward to building on what we’ve achieved with collaboration on shared research, events and other initiatives.’
The two bodies are also committed to advocating for each other’s qualifications and use their own channels to support efforts that raise awareness and promote their respective initiatives and programs. As part of the three-year agreement, The IIA will continue offering ACCA members the opportunity to improve their skills in internal audit with a challenge exam to earn their Certified Internal Auditor® (CIA®) designation. Since 2015, more than 5,000 ACCA members have earned their CIA credential through this expedited option.
This partnership serves to help advance the role and impact of internal auditors as leaders in emerging areas, which are of vital importance to effective corporate governance and public trust.
