INTERNATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE OF THE ILO
Board of the Centre
73rd Session, Turin, 3-4 November 2011
CC 73/5/2
FOR INFORMATION
FIFTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Plan for the audit of the 2011 financial statements
Turin, 29 September 2011
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2011 Audit Plan for ILO Training Centre by Canadian Auditor General, Study notes of Accounting
A report to the Board of the International Training Centre of the ILO from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada detailing the annual audit plan for the year ending 31 December 2011. The report outlines the mandate of the auditor, audit objectives, deliverables, responsibilities, and the audit approach. It also discusses business and audit risks, developments in accounting, materiality, reliance on internal control, fraud and error, internal audit, and other services provided.
What you will learn
- What are the deliverables of the annual audit?
- What is the purpose of the annual audit of the International Training Centre of the ILO?
- What is the role of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada in the audit process?
- What are the business and audit risks identified in the report?
- What are the responsibilities of the Board of the Centre in relation to internal control?
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INTERNATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE OF THE ILO
Board of the Centre
73rd Session, Turin, 3-4 November 2011 CC 73/5/
FOR INFORMATION
FIFTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA
Plan for the audit of the 2011 financial statements
Turin, 29 September 2011
To members of the Board of the International Training Centre of the ILO:
We are pleased to present a summary description of our plan for the annual audit of the transactions and financial statements of the International Training Centre of the ILO (the Centre) for the year ending 31 December 2011.
This report is intended for the use of the Board of the Centre and provides information on our audit mandate and objectives, our responsibilities as auditor in relation to the responsibilities of the Board and management, the significant audit areas identified and our plans to address them, a description of information we intend to report to you at the conclusion of the audit, and other relevant matters.
We look forward to working with the members of the Board and are available for consultation at any time. During your upcoming meeting of the Board, we will be pleased to discuss any matters of interest and provide any additional information relating to the audit that you may require.
Yours sincerely,
Aline Vienneau, CA Principal
Ottawa, 16 September 2011
Our mandate
The Auditor General of Canada is the external auditor of the International Training Centre of the ILO (the Centre) in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the Centre whereby the external auditor of the International Labour Organization is the external auditor of the Centre.
The Auditor General of Canada is the external auditor of the ILO following appointment by the Governing Body for a period of four years commencing on 1 April 2008. This period was extended for an additional four years until the completion of the 31 December 2015 financial statement audit.
Audit objectives
An annual audit is an independent examination of evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the Centre’s financial statements. We also assess the Centre’s compliance with significant authority instruments and consider whether, during the course of our examination, we have become aware of any “other matters” that, in our opinion, should be brought to the attention of the Board.
The objectives of the annual audit are to provide an independent opinion on whether:
the financial statements have been fairly presented, in all material respects, in accordance with the United Nations System Accounting Standards (UNSAS);
these standards have been applied on a basis consistent with that of the preceding year; and
the transactions coming to our notice in the course of our examination have, in all significant respects, been in accordance with the Financial Regulations and legislative authority (Statute of the Centre) of the Centre.
Deliverables
Our reports
At the conclusion of the audit, we will provide the following reports:
Auditor’s Report. A standard auditor’s report is included in the appendix for your reference.
Report to the Board of the Centre – Annual Audit Results. This report is prepared to assist members in their review of the financial statements. The report provides disclosures required by professional standards and other information we believe will be useful to the Board.
In addition to our reports, we may also provide a management letter, which is a derivative communication that identifies opportunities for changes in procedures that would improve systems of internal control, streamline operations, and/or enhance financial reporting practices.
Responsibilities for financial reporting
Management
Management is responsible for the day to day activities of the Centre. This includes, among other things, the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the UNSAS, which includes responsibilities related to internal control, such as designing and maintaining accounting records, selecting and applying accounting policies, safeguarding assets, complying with legislative and other authorities, and preventing and detecting error and fraud. It is the responsibility of management to establish a control environment and maintain policies and procedures to assist in achieving the objective of ensuring the orderly and efficient conduct of the Centre’s operations. In determining which controls to implement to prevent and detect fraud, management should consider the risks that the financial statements may be materially misstated as a result of fraud.
Management is also responsible for the preparation, integrity, and objectivity of publicly reported information such as annual financial statements. In preparing financial statements, management is responsible for exercising sound judgment in selecting and applying accounting policies in accordance with standards applied.
Board of the Centre
The Board is responsible for oversight of the management of the operations, activities, and other affairs of the Centre. Among other things, this means that the Board has oversight responsibility for the financial reporting process. The Board reviews the financial statements of the Centre. In doing so, it indicates that it has exercised its oversight responsibilities and is satisfied that the financial statements are appropriate. The Board reports to the Governing Body of the ILO.
The Board, through oversight of management, is responsible for ensuring that the Centre designs, implements, and maintains appropriate internal control with regard to reliability of financial reporting, effectiveness and efficiency of operations, and compliance with applicable legislation and other authorities.
Auditor
The auditor’s responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements based on an audit. An audit is performed to obtain reasonable, but not absolute assurance on whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, including those caused by fraud or error.
Business and audit risks and audit implications
Business risks result from significant conditions, events, circumstances, actions, or inactions that could adversely affect the Centre’s ability to achieve its objectives and execute its strategies. Business risk is broader than the risk of material misstatement of the financial statements. Most business risks will eventually have financial consequences and, therefore, an effect on the financial statements.
In planning the audit of the 2011 financial statements, we have identified the following business and audit risks that could have significant audit implications.
Business and audit risks areas
Financial statement or authority implication Audit implication
The adoption of several new standards (IPSAS), in particular IPSAS 23 Revenue from Non- exchange Transactions, could result in significant adjustments at year-end. The risk involves management’s understanding, interpretation and application of the standards, as well as the availability of information.
Risk of errors in the financial statements as a result of significant adjusting entries affecting the current year as well as prior year restatement. Risk that the required disclosures in the financial statements are inaccurate or incomplete.
For each IPSAS adopted in 2011, we will review the Centre’s position papers in order to determine whether the standards are implemented properly. We will examine the adjusting entries required for the standards implemented in 201 1 in order to ensure they are properly accounted for. We will also review disclosures in the financial statements to ensure they are complete and accurate.
The preparation of financial statements requires the use of accounting estimates. Certain accounting estimates are particularly sensitive due to their significance to the financial statements and the possibility that future events may differ significantly from management’s expectations. We have identified the following significant estimates for the Centre:
- employee benefits liability;
- accrued liabilities and provisions (contingent assets and liabilities);
- expected useful life of fixed assets;
- allowance for doubtful accounts.
Risk that management accounting estimates are not complete and accurate if due diligence is not exercised in the determination of these amounts.
We will examine the reasonableness of the estimates by reviewing the key assumptions used to establish the estimates, the accuracy and completeness of data used to make these assumptions and we will review disclosures made in the financial statements.
Business and audit risks areas
Financial statement or authority implication Audit implication
There is a risk of possible non- compliance with Financial Regulations. In particular, there is a requirement that the reported results be within the approved budget.
This could result in a qualification on the auditor’s report with regards to compliance with Financial Regulations.
We will review whether sufficient controls are in place to mitigate the risk of manipulation of results, and whether transactions tested are in compliance with the authorities of the Centre.
Developments in accounting
Convergence to International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)
In order to facilitate the consolidation of the Centre’s financial statements with those of the ILO, the Centre has synchronized its IPSAS implementation plan with that of the ILO. In November 2009, the Governing Body of the ILO adopted a revised implementation plan whereby it would be fully compliant with IPSAS in 2012.
Following the ILO’s timeline, the Centre has elected to implement IPSAS on a gradual basis. In 2011, the following standards have been identified for adoption by the Centre:
IPSAS 2 – Cash Flow Statements IPSAS 3 – Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors IPSAS 12 – Inventories IPSAS 13 – Leases IPSAS 23 – Revenue from Non-Exchange Transactions (for revenue from training and services in kind)
This will leave the following standards to be implemented to achieve full compliance in 2012:
IPSAS 1 – Presentation of Financial Statements IPSAS 17 – Property, Plant and Equipment IPSAS 21 – Impairment of non-cash generating assets IPSAS 31 – Intangibles
Key issues to be considered at this time
Gradual implementation of IPSAS and Fair Presentation. The Centre’s financial statements will need to continue to be in compliance with the United Nations System Accounting Standards (UNSAS) while gradually implementing IPSAS, as permitted under the UNSAS. The selection of which standards to adopt has to be coordinated to ensure that the Centre continues to provide a fair presentation of its financial position and performance. Our review of the fair presentation in the financial statements will be carried out and any concerns will be raised with management.
example, misstatements that have the effect of altering performance trends, or turning operating losses into operating income could be considered material, even though they might be less than our quantitative measure of materiality.
Reliance on internal control and communications to management
We have assessed the overall control environment and the control activities relevant to the audit of the Centre and we intend to adopt a controls-reliant approach for the payroll cycle.
Our professional standards require us to communicate in writing significant deficiencies in internal control to management on a timely basis. This includes deficiencies that may have been previously communicated, yet remain unresolved.
During the 2010 audit, we identified opportunities to improve systems of internal control, streamline operations, and enhance financial reporting practices. We will provide an update on the progress made on these areas when we report back to you at the end of the audit.
Fraud and error
When planning and conducting the audit, we consider the possibility that fraud or error, if sufficiently material, may affect our opinion on the financial statements. Accordingly, we maintain an attitude of professional scepticism throughout the audit, recognizing the possibility that a material misstatement due to fraud could exist.
In order to fulfill our responsibilities related to fraud, we plan to perform the following procedures:
Inquiries of management, the Office of Internal Audit and Oversight, and others related to knowledge of fraud or suspected fraud, the fraud risk assessment process, and how fraud risks are addressed;
Considering whether fraud risk factors exist as part of our client acceptance and continuance procedures;
Disaggregated analytical procedures, primarily over revenue, and considering unusual or unexpected relationships identified in performing analytical procedures in planning the audit;
Incorporate an element of unpredictability in the selection of the nature, timing, and extent of audit procedures to be performed annually;
Identify and assess specific fraud risks based on the information gathered, and develop appropriate audit procedures to address the identified risks;
Perform additional required procedures to address the risk of management’s override of controls, including
Examining journal entries and other adjustment for evidence of possible material misstatement due to fraud;
Reviewing accounting estimates for biases that could result in material misstatement due to fraud, including a retrospective review of significant prior year estimates; and
Evaluating the business rationale of significant, unusual transactions.
If Board members are aware of any actual, suspected, or alleged fraud affecting the Centre, please disclose this matter to us as soon as practicable.
If, at any point throughout the audit, we become aware of suspected fraud involving management, employees who have significant roles in internal controls, and other cases where fraud results in a material misstatement in the financial statements, we will advise the appropriate authority on a timely basis. We will discuss the nature, timing, and extent of the audit procedures necessary to complete the audit. We will also communicate any other matters related to fraud that are, in our judgment, relevant to the Board.
Internal audit
The Financial Regulations of the Centre require the Director of the Centre to maintain internal audit that provides an effective current examination and/or review of financial transactions. To the extent we consider it practicable, we are required to identify areas where internal audit work could provide audit assurance and determine the impact on the external audit procedures.
The Office of the Internal Audit and Oversight (IAO) of the ILO provides internal audit services to the Centre. We obtained the IAO audit plan for 2010/2012 as well as their risk assessment of the Centre. In 2011, the IAO performed an internal audit on income generated from training activities, and it is currently planning an audit of the administration and security of the IT systems of the Centre. We will review the final audit reports once they are released to determine if we can rely on the work of internal audit for our annual financial audit. IAO’s risk assessment was used in identifying our annual audit risks.
Management representations
As part of our audit process, we will require a letter of representation from management confirming representations made to us verbally or in writing during the audit, as well as representations that are implicit in the Centre’s financial statements and records. Management’s representations are integral to the audit evidence gathered by us and they are required in writing so that we have appropriate documentation to support the content of our report.
Management’s responsibility to provide written representations to the auditor is included in the engagement letter between the auditor and the Centre.
personal or business relationships of immediate family, close relatives, senior officials, or retired senior officials, either directly or indirectly, with the Centre; and
over familiarity with the Centre due to a long-standing relationship.
To provide further assurance, our quality management system requires us to ensure safeguards are applied to eliminate identified threats to independence, or reduce them to an acceptable level to ensure that we complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence. Our audit staff is required to annually declare any personal relationships that could be perceived as placing them in a conflict of interest position. We also have policies designed to ensure that auditors do not remain on the same audit for excessive periods of time.
At this time, we are not aware of any relationships between the Centre and our audit staff that, in our professional judgment, may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence.
Planned communications on the results of our audit
We anticipate, at the conclusion of the audit, to be in a position to report to you the following:
that we met our responsibilities under International Standards on Auditing;
that the Office of the Auditor General of Canada complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence throughout the duration of the audit;
our views about significant qualitative aspects of the Centre’s accounting practices, including accounting policies, accounting estimates, and financial statement disclosure, were, in our opinion, the most appropriate to the particular circumstances of the Centre;
uncorrected misstatements and the effect that they, individually or in aggregate, may have on the opinion in the auditor's report. We will identify material uncorrected misstatements individually and request that uncorrected misstatements be corrected. Additionally, we will report the effect of uncorrected misstatements related to prior periods, if any, on the relevant classes of transactions, account balances or disclosures, and the financial statements as a whole;
whether any significant difficulties were encountered in performing the audit;
if there are any significant issues arising from the audit that were discussed, or subject to correspondence with management;
whether events or conditions have been identified that may cast significant doubt on the Centre’s ability to continue as a going concern;
the nature and results of any review we performed on the Centre’s designated public documents; and
whether we were aware of any additional matters that should be brought to the attention of the Board, including material weaknesses in internal control, evidence of illegal or possibly illegal acts or fraud, and unusual or high-risk transactions and related party transactions identified by us that are not in the normal course of operations and that involve significant judgments made by management concerning measurement or disclosure.
Audit management
Terms of the engagement
As required by our professional standards, we obtain a written confirmation from management outlining our common understanding of, and our agreement on, the terms of the engagement for this audit. We will be pleased to discuss matters of interest relating to the terms of the engagement that you may require.
Audit team
The audit of Centre’s 2011 year-end will be completed by a team of audit professionals. This team is composed of senior personnel from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada who are involved in the planning, coordination, and direction of the audit and staff members who perform detailed procedures during our on-site visits. The Auditor General of Canada is consulted by the audit team on sensitive, complex, and/or difficult issues.
The Audit Principal is responsible for audit quality and provides assurance to the Assistant Auditor General that the audit engagement is carried out in compliance with Office policies, professional standards, and the Office’s Quality Management System.
Senior staff involved in this year’s audit includes:
John Wiersema, FCA Interim Auditor General Marian McMahon, CA Assistant Auditor General Aline Vienneau, CA Audit Principal Nathalie Chartrand, CA Director
Appendix—Standard Auditor’s Report
INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT
To the Board of the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization
Report on the Financial Statements
I have audited the accompanying financial statements of the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, which comprise the statement of financial position as at 31 December 2011, and the statement of financial performance, statement of changes in net assets, statement of cash flow and statement of comparison of budget and actual amounts for the year then ended, and a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory notes.
Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements
Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements in accordance with United Nations System Accounting Standards, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
Auditor’s Responsibility
My responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on my audit. I conducted my audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing. Those standards require that I comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement.
An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements.
I believe that the audit evidence I have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for my audit opinion.
Opinion
In my opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization as at 31 December 2011, and its financial performance, its cash flows and the comparison of budget and actual amounts for the year then ended in accordance with United Nations System Accounting Standards.
Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements
As required by the Financial Regulations of the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, I report that, in my opinion, the United Nations System Accounting Standards have been applied, after giving retroactive effect to the changes as explained in Note 4 to the financial statements, on a basis consistent with that of the preceding year.
Further, in my opinion, the transactions of the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization that have come to my notice during my audit of the financial statements have, in all significant respects, been in accordance with the Financial Regulations and legislative authority of the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization.
In accordance with Article 28 of the Financial Regulations of the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, I will also issue a detailed report on my audit of the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization’s financial statements to the Board.
Auditor General of Canada
15 September 2011 Ottawa, Canada