The organization aspect of an internal audit charter relates to the reporting structure for the internal audit activity. It establishes the position of the internal audit activity within the organization, and defines its functional and administrative reporting lines2. The organization aspect also ensures that the internal audit activity has sufficient independence and authority to perform its work effectively and objectively3.
References:
1: Internal Audit Charter [A Complete Guide + Template] - ModelOrganization2
2: The Internal Audit Charter IIA POSITION PAPER
The Internal Audit Charter Blueprint to Assurance Success Introduction One of the great challenges every organization faces is assuring efficient and effective risk management those policies and processes designed to leverage or mitigate risks to the organization's advantage. When done well, internal audit provides that assurance as part of its role to protect and enhance organizational value. For internal audit to operate at the highest levels, it must have clearly defined and articulated marching orders from the governing body and management. This is most easily achieved with a well-designed internal audit charter. The IIA's Perspective Every organization can benefit from internal audit, and an internal audit charter is vital to success of the activity (IIA Standard 1000). The charter is a formal document approved by the governing body and/or audit committee (governing body) and agreed to by management. It must define, at minimum: Internal audit's purpose within the organization. Internal audit's authority. Internal audit's responsibility. Internal audit's position within the organization. The IIA has produced model charters available to IIA members here in eight languages. Why the Internal Audit Charter Is Important The charter provides the organization a blueprint for how internal audit will operate and helps the governing body to clearly signal the value it places on internal audit's independence. Ideally it establishes reporting lines for the chief audit executive (CAE) that support that independence by reporting functionally to the governing body (or those charged with governance) and administratively to executive management. It also provides the activity the needed authority to achieve its tasks, e.g., unfettered access to records, personnel, and physical properties relevant to performing its work.
KEY TAKEAWAYS The internal audit charter is vital to internal audit's success and should be reviewed annually by the governing body. The internal audit charter should be approved by the governing body and agreed to by senior management.
The charter should at a minimum include internal audit's purpose and mission, authority, responsibility, its independent reporting relationships, scope and requirement to conform to IIA Standards. The internal audit charter should include details of how the internal audit activity will assess and report on the quality of the internal audit activity.1 3: Charter | Internal Audit