As businesses continue to expand their operations across borders, conducting international audits has become critical to ensuring financial transparency and staying compliant.
International audits are quite different to their domestic counterparts, however – we talked all about company audits in a recent article.
So, whether you’re checking regulatory requirements in foreign countries or navigating cultural differences and language barriers, conducting audits overseas requires specialised expertise and preparation.
This post will provide insight to help you navigate these complexities and give you preparation guidance for your international audit.
What’s an international audit?
International audits are similar to domestic audits in that they’re designed to provide an independent and objective assessment of a company’s financial statements, internal controls, and compliance with laws and regulations.
However, there are some key differences between the two that you must be aware of.
International audits are conducted in multiple countries with varying legal and regulatory requirements.
This can make the process complex and time-consuming, with cultural differences, language barriers, and other factors adding to the challenge of gathering the necessary information and communicating effectively with stakeholders.
There are several types of international audit that businesses may encounter, each with its own unique requirements and considerations:
- Statutory audits. These are audits that are required by law in certain countries for certain types of businesses, such as public companies or those that exceed a certain size threshold.
- Group audits. These are audits of multinational companies or groups of companies that have subsidiaries in different countries.
- Compliance audits. These audits focus on ensuring compliance with specific laws and regulations, such as environmental regulations or data protection laws.
Why is expertise important for an international audit?
Like any niche, international audit requires a deeper level of understanding than just general knowledge.
Auditors need to be familiar with the legal and regulatory frameworks in different countries to effectively navigate the unique challenges of conducting audits abroad.
These requirements can vary widely, including understanding the accounting standards, tax regulations, and other laws and regulations that might apply to your business.
International auditors must also be culturally aware and sensitive to effectively communicate with stakeholders in different countries. Experts can delicately position themselves to work well with any stakeholder, no matter how they do business.
How do I prepare for an international audit?
When preparing for an international audit, there are several key things that businesses need to keep in mind to ensure a successful outcome.
Planning
You’ll need to carefully plan and prepare to fully understand the scope of your business audit and its objectives. You’ll need to make sure you understand the legal requirements and create a communication plan that works for all stakeholders.
Choose the right auditor
Selecting the right auditor is critical for the success of an international audit. You’re not obligated to use the same firm for your local audit, but having a strong working knowledge can be less stressful (provided there isn’t a conflict of interest).
Prioritise communication
Sometimes, you may need to work with local auditors in each country the audit is conducted in. Communication is key here to maintaining consistency and accuracy in the audit findings.
Language and cultural differences (as we’ve mentioned) are important to stay on top of – you should ensure you have access to language translation services and that you’re at least familiar with the cultural norms and communication styles in each involved country.
Take data seriously
International audits involve sharing sensitive financial and business information across borders, which can raise concerns around data security and privacy.
You need to ensure that you have appropriate data security and privacy measures in place to protect your confidential information.
Talk to audit experts
Due to the nature and complexity of the topic, there’s still lots we could cover about international audits.
Ultimately, as a business owner, what’s important is that you work with a firm that can prepare and audit you to the highest standards.
We’ve spent years working with businesses, breaking through the accounting norms that often make subjects like audit seem ‘taboo’.
We’ll talk to you about whatever you need help with and answer any questions you may have promptly and effectively, without any accounting jargon.
Speak to us about international audits.
