Internal audit provides assurance by assessing and reporting on the effectiveness of governance, risk management, and control processes designed to help the organization achieve strategic, operational, financial, and compliance objectives. It is best positioned to provide assurance when its resource level, competence, and structure are aligned with organizational strategies and when it follows IIA standards. It can do this best when it is free from undue influence. By maintaining its independence, internal audit can perform its assessments objectively, providing management and the board an informed and unbiased critique of governance processes, risk management, and internal control. Based
on its findings, internal audit recommends changes to improve processes and follows up on their implementation. Functioning independently within the organization, internal auditing is performed by professionals who have a deep appreciation of the importance of strong governance, an in-depth understanding of business systems and processes, and afundamental drive to help their organizations succeed.