Outstanding Team

• Public Sector
• Private Sector (non-FS)
• Financial Services Sector
• Third Sector

We want to hear about teams that have performed exceptionally and/or have achieved exceptional results. We are looking for teams that have overcome challenges (within their organisations or externally), have operated in new, unfamiliar or technically demanding areas or who have otherwise demonstrated exemplary professional auditing skills, teamwork and personal abilities.

The judges will be looking for a clear explanation of the challenges, or of a specific need, and for evidence of real and lasting impact. High-level endorsements from the chair of the audit committee, CEO (or equivalent senior leader), who is not responsible for managing the nominated team, are mandatory.

* Note: In recognition of the fact that some third-sector teams are extremely small, nominees in the third-sector category do not have to be a member of the Chartered IIA or have a member in their team.

Thanks to our Outstanding Teams category sponsor

Inspirational Leader

We are looking for a chief audit executive or a head of internal audit who has demonstrated not only superb technical skills, but who has also achieved exceptional results because of their leadership, strategic and soft skills. The winner will be inspirational not only to members of their own team, but also more widely within their organisation. They should demonstrate a clear view of the future of internal audit and of the ways in which they are developing their team and the function to be fit for the future.

Please note that the judges appreciate that leaders in less well-resourced teams or smaller organisations can be just as inspirational as those in large teams (see previous winners for examples). Nominations will therefore benefit from a clear explanation of the environment in which the leader works (size of team/organisation/sector) and any unique or specific challenges they face.

Evidence should include not only examples of successful audits, but also accounts of the ways in which this person leads their team, sets an example, encourages junior internal auditors and increases the influence of internal audit within the wider organisation. The judges also want to see evidence of the individual’s superior commercial acumen and of the ways in which they are actively supporting management and the organisation to deal with commercial challenges.

The judges will look particularly at the quality of the endorsements provided by the chair of the board/audit committee and CEO/CFO. Further endorsements are not explicitly required, but evidence in the form of statements by team members and leaders across the organisation are welcomed and provide useful insight into a leader’s impact on colleagues and management.

Thanks to our Inspirational Leader category sponsor

Development of Internal Audit Best Practice (New for 2024)

The world is changing fast, leading to rapidly evolving risks and new challenges for internal audit. Have you, or has your team, instigated and implemented a change to your internal audit practices that has made a significant impact on the business and moved the profession forward in your organisation? Have you recognised evolving risks or adapted to changing circumstances and found a way to progress the work you do and your internal audit systems to mitigate these and meet emerging needs?

Has your internal audit function implemented a fantastic new training scheme or a new system for developing the skills of the internal audit team? Has it found a way to engage staff with their continuing development obligations or introduced better ways to share the collective knowledge and expertise of the team with peers and new recruits? We are looking for innovative ideas and lateral thinking about training and development as well as for evidence of improved results in the delivery of audit engagements or increased motivation to take and pass additional qualifications.

The judges will be looking for a clear focus on the outcomes of the development and what it achieved.

Smaller/less well-resourced teams should not be deterred from entering. The judges will take into account the resources available to nominees. The key here is the innovative use of training opportunities or audit improvements to achieve quantifiable results.

The developments in internal audit practice do not need to be unique to the profession as a whole, but should be new to your internal audit function and organisation. Judges will look for evidence demonstrating how the individual or team identified the need for change and how they designed and implemented the nominated development. What challenges did they need to overcome? How did they do this? What impact has it had? How will it help internal audit evolve further or meet new challenges in future?

Nominees will need to provide evidence of positive results and endorsements by senior management and/or the chair of the audit committee demonstrating how the changes have benefitted them and increased their perception of the value of internal audit.

Thanks to our Development of Internal Audit Best Practice category sponsor

Internal Audit Rising Star (New for 2024)

We want to spot the people who are relatively new to the internal audit profession, but who have the potential to grow into great internal audit leaders. If you have someone in your team who has been in the internal audit profession (in your organisation or elsewhere) for less than five years and is already demonstrating their ability to inspire, lead and influence change, we want to hear about them. This category includes apprentices.

Nominees should be able to provide evidence of strong internal audit professional skills, plus examples of their ability to inspire and influence other people. They will be creative and imaginative about identifying potential risks and opportunities and passionate about helping others to fulfil their potential. They will be strong communicators and able to challenge constructively but persistently when necessary.

The judges will be looking for endorsements from senior managers, peers and auditees who have benefitted from working with the nominee and can provide reasons why they believe they are a future internal audit leader. 

Thanks to our Internal Audit Rising Star category sponsor

Internal Audit Advocate (New for 2024)

Internal audit can do little unless it has the attention and understanding of senior management and other stakeholders both internally and externally. The profession’s reputation also has an impact on its ability to attract talented people. We are looking for the person or team who has made a real and lasting difference to the way in which internal audit is viewed and the responses this generates. We want to hear about how the nominee has improved the way internal audit is perceived and raised its profile with auditees and managers internally, and/or with external stakeholders for example bringing new people into the profession. 

The judges will be looking for evidence of enduring change and improved reputation – have people within the business started requesting more internal audit support? Have applications for internal audit roles from within or outside the organisation increased and is there evidence that managers have made changes following internal audit recommendations/consultancy that have significantly improved the way the organisation operates and manages its risks? Have they encouraged young people to take up study of internal audit? How was this achieved and what do internal auditors do differently to maintain and build on their improved status with senior management and others?

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Champion (New for 2024)

Supporting diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) is an important focus for the Chartered IIA and for many of our members. We all need to strive to cultivate an environment in which all of our people can reach their full potential and thrive as their authentic selves. Internal auditors are a diverse group of people, however, there is more to do to ensure that diversity reaches all levels of the profession.

Internal audit needs to be open to, and attract, diverse people and we want to spotlight areas of excellence in supporting and promoting DEI.

We want to hear about internal audit teams or individual internal auditors who have made a significant difference to supporting and promoting DEI in their team or organisation. We want to find out how they have done this and what the results have been. How have they persuaded others to understand and improve DEI in their organisation?

Nominees will be asked to provide endorsements from senior managers and/or from the chair of the audit committee and evidence of the results of the actions of the champion – not only in terms of increasing the diversity of employees and/or team members, but also in terms of wellbeing and wider understanding of the issues.

Thanks to our Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Champion category sponsor