Systems Process & Assurance

In recent years, IT and security professionals have talked about information technology – and particularly information security – as a "business enabler". Today, it might also be called a "compliance enabler" as IT and security organisations are now being asked to play two pivotal roles. First, to provide a secure, well-controlled IT environment to improve business performance, and second, to assist the organisation in strategically and tactically addressing its governance, risk and compliance requirements.

In today's business world, IT and financial reporting environments are becoming increasingly complex while even greater reliance is being placed on the information produced by these systems and processes. In addition, new regulations have put a greater emphasis on internal controls and often require independent assessments of the effectiveness of internal controls.

Attention to the design, documentation and operation of controls is critical to ensuring the integrity and timeliness of information used for financial reporting and management decision-making.

If this is your situation

  • You need confidence in the quality of the information produced by your IT systems.
  • You need assistance in documenting or testing your internal controls over financial reporting.
  • You need an independent review of your control structure, including identification of weaknesses and possible design enhancements.
  • You rely on financial information from a third party and need independent assurance on that information.
  • Your organisation provides services to other companies and you've been asked to provide assurance over the effectiveness of your internal control procedures.
  • You are implementing, or have just implemented, a new IT system and want to review the effectiveness of the security and internal controls.
  • You are entering into a joint venture or other transaction and need due diligence on systems and controls.
  • You have suffered a systems or an accounting breakdown and you need to implement a remediation programme.

How PwC can help you

Systems and Process Assurance (SPA) is a team of individuals with specialist skills and experience in a comprehensive range of today’s business systems. SPA can provide services related to controls around the financial reporting process, including financial business process and IT management controls. Serving both audit and non-audit clients. These include:

  • Business process and controls reviews for financial and operational applications
  • Database security controls reviews
  • IT general computer controls reviews, including:
    • IT Governance
    • Security
    • Operational practices
    • Program Change management.
  • Infrastructure security reviews.
  • Third party assurance and opinion services.
  • Sarbanes-Oxley assistance with internal control assessments.
  • Pre- and post-implementation systems reviews.
  • Data analytical services and investigations.