Internal Audit
Internal audit that strengthens how the business actually runs
Independent review of your controls, processes and risks — producing practical findings your management team can act on, not a report that sits in a drawer.
The need
Growth exposes the gaps that informal controls used to hide
As a business grows, the informal controls that worked when the owner saw every transaction stop being enough. Approval limits blur, segregation of duties slips, and errors or losses go unnoticed until they become expensive. Internal audit gives you an independent, structured view of where the real exposures are — and what to do about them.
What we handle
Risk assessment
Identify where the business is genuinely exposed, and prioritise the review accordingly.
Process reviews
Walk through procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, payroll and cash handling as they actually operate.
Controls testing
Test whether the controls you believe exist are well designed and actually operating.
Findings & recommendations
Clear, ranked findings with practical remediation, named owners and timelines.
Follow-up reviews
Re-test remediated areas so that improvements actually hold.
Governance reporting
Reporting pitched appropriately for owners, a board or an audit committee.
Situations we are often called in for
- The business has grown faster than its procedures.
- You suspect leakage in purchasing, stock or cash but cannot evidence it.
- An investor, lender or board has asked for independent assurance.
- You are formalising governance ahead of a funding round or expansion.
- A specific incident has raised questions about how controls are working.
Who it is for
Owner-managed businesses, groups, and companies with boards or investors that need independent assurance over controls — including businesses formalising governance for the first time.
Our process
- Scope — agree the areas, risks and depth of review with you before any work starts.
- Review — examine processes as they operate and test the controls in practice.
- Report — present ranked findings with practical, costed recommendations.
- Follow up — re-test the agreed actions and confirm the improvements hold.
Internal Audit FAQs
How is internal audit different from the statutory audit?
The statutory audit gives an opinion on your financial statements for external users. Internal audit is for you: it examines how the business runs — controls, processes and risks — and produces recommendations for management. They serve different purposes and are normally performed separately.
How long does an internal audit take?
It depends entirely on scope. A focused review of a single cycle, such as purchasing, is a short engagement. A broader review across several cycles takes longer. We scope it with you before starting, so the cost is not open-ended.
Will this disrupt the team?
We plan fieldwork around your operations and keep interviews short and focused. Most of what we need is documentation, plus brief conversations with the people who actually do the work.
What do we receive at the end?
A written report with ranked findings, the practical implication of each, and a recommended action with a suggested owner and timeline — written to be acted on, not filed.