OK, so it might not quite have the gravitas of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) or Black History Month (February), but May—along with being associated with celebrating motherhood—is Internal Audit Awareness Month. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and showcase the internal audit profession in a positive light to audit customers, executive management, and board directors, as well as to students and others in the business community. It may be fitting for internal audit to share the month with mothers, as internal audit can be considered as a nurturing and protective force for the business.
It’s my experience that internal audit is still greatly misunderstood in what the profession is about and what internal auditors really do. I was recently talking to a marketing professor at a major business school, and when I told him I write for an internal audit audience, he asked, “so you are interested in the accounting aspects of this topic?” I quickly explained that I was not and that internal audit isn’t really an accounting-based function. I explained that it extends well beyond accounting and even finance.
If business professors can get this wrong, what hope does internal audit have to explain to the public at large what it is really about. Others still view internal audit as the police force of the company or worse. As you internal auditors already know, internal audit is a greatly rewarding and challenging profession that interacts with every facet of the business (Read “Five Reasons Talented Candidates Choose Internal Audit“), draws heavily on communication and interpersonal skills, leverages great expertise, and plays an indispensable role in the success of any organization.
Internal Audit As…
I like to use the analogy of internal audit as the guard rail on the mountainside roadway that enables the business to drive faster and safer, but even that image has some problems, since internal audit should be a close partner with the business and other line-of-defense functions. (Please leave your own analogies and notes on how you describe the internal audit profession, or thoughts on the perception of internal auditors in the comments below!)
The Institute of Internal Auditors has published a toolkit that may help internal auditors get the word out on what internal audit is really all about. As the report notes, “even internal auditors’ close friends and family don’t understand exactly what an internal auditor does.” I particularly like this suggestion and assessment of the role of internal audit from the toolkit: “Invite a department head to provide a positive testimonial on how internal audit has provided valuable insight, ideas, and recommendations for improvement.”
May is a great time to focus on spreading the word on what internal audit is about, elevating the view of internal auditors, and helping to change the perception of the profession to one of adding value through expert positive assessment and analysis. So lets celebrate internal auditors this month along with the renewal that comes with the beginning of spring. 
Joseph McCafferty is Editor & Publisher of Internal Audit 360°
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