[NOTE: Schellman has since updated this content in a more recent article.] Think of your auditing firm like you would a long-term business partner. They are someone you will work with year after year, and they will be an integral part of setting the stage for your organization’s success. As such, the act of selecting the appropriate assessor shouldn’t be taken lightly. Here are several key qualities your organization should look for when choosing an auditing firm:

The Health Information Trust Alliance is a U.S.-based organization that works with healthcare, technology and information security leaders to establish a Common Security Framework (CSF). A CSF is a body of controls for all organizations to follow to create, access, store and exchange private or regulated data. The Health Information Trust Alliance believes security should be a core pillar of health information systems and exchanges, not an obstacle to be hurtled, hence its mission to normalize security controls via the CSF. The CSF includes:

Organizations take different approaches when it comes to documenting their policies and procedures. Some prioritize keeping them well-documented and easily accessible to employees at all times. Others may only recognize their importance when planning and preparing for an audit as they conduct an extensive review of their existing documentation to determine if they meet audit guideline requirements. Meanwhile, there are companies that overlook or neglect the need for formal policies and procedure documentation altogether.

Although undergoing a SOC 2 examination is not a mandatory security framework and as such, is not a legal or regulatory requirement for every business, it is often considered a necessity for companies. This is especially true for organizations that regularly store customer data and handle sensitive information.

Effective January 1, 2002, the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) released updated standards in the International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF). Internal auditing departments, according to Standard 1312 of the IPPF, must complete an external assessment once every five years from a qualified independent assessor or assessment team. In addition, the chief audit executive (CAE) must discuss the form and frequency of external assessments and the qualifications and independence of the external assessor or assessment team with the board of directors. Standards (unlike practice advisories, practice guides and position papers) are principal focused mandatory requirements consisting of statements for the professional practice of internal auditing and for evaluating the effectiveness of performance which are applicable at the organizational and individual levels.