[Photo:  nectarsoftware.com]

Many internal auditors say they are pressured to suppress or change audit findings, according to a survey of audit professionals world-wide by the Internal Audit Foundation.  One in 4 auditors said they were pressured to change audit results, with some being pressured to fudge results on a regular basis.

Fact is, the further an auditor moves up the corporate ranks, the more pressure that is applied.  Some 29% of chief audit executives reporting occasional or frequent pressure, while 20% of staff-level internal auditors experience pressure.  On the flip side, more lower-level staff inclined to not comment when asked, which could indicate they felt some level of intimidation to even discuss the topic, the report’s author concluded.

Richard Chambers, president and CEO of the Institute of Internal Auditors, said it's problematic that many companies either don't have a code of conduct or an ethics statement, or that such codes codes are not supportive of auditors.