Kesko is the first company in Finland to receive the international Recognition of Commitment for Internal Audit

The international Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) has given the Recognition of Commitment (ROC) to Kesko’s Internal Audit Department. Kesko is the first company in Finland and the third one in the Nordic countries to qualify for this recognition. So far this recognition has been given to a total of 158 recipients throughout the world. The recognition will be presented to Kesko in the United States in March 2006.


The recognition is based on the commitment and achievements of the Internal Audit Department in three different categories: enhancing internal auditors’ professional excellence, the quality of the department’s activity and the contribution to the profession of internal auditing. A sufficient level of achievements, measured by several different criteria, is required in each category.


Some examples of the criteria include the number of auditors with the international CIA (Certified Internal Auditor) examination in the department, the education hours used to maintain the auditors’ professional competence and the initiative shown by the department in the projects enhancing the internal control of its own organisation.


The criteria also include systematic benchmarking of the department’s activity with the best practices in the field and, on the basis of that, the continuous development of its own practices, active participation of the department staff in the activities of IIA Finland and their contribution to promoting the entire internal audit activity and internal control in Finland.


”Kesko’s Internal Audit Department has been developing its operations on a systematic basis for some ten years now. Our objective is risk-based and as cost-efficient auditing as possible. This requires that we maintain a continuous dialogue with the company management and continuously compare our practices with those of other companies both in and outside Finland,” says Seppo Aakio, Audit Executive of Kesko’s Internal Audit Department.


The IIA is an international professional association with over 112,000 members in approximately 150 countries throughout the world. The IIA’s objective is to enhance its members’ professional competencies and promote efficient internal auditing, internal control and governance in companies and organisations worldwide. The IIA Finland, named “Sisäiset tarkastajat ry” in Finnish, has over 560 members in approximately 200 companies and organisations. There are 105 auditors with the CIA exam in Finland.


Further information:
Audit Executive Seppo Aakio, tel. +358 1053 23103, seppo.aakio@kesko.fi

Contact Information

Sanna Haikonen

Communications Officer

Kesko Corporation

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