As the One CGIAR transition progressed in 2021, internal audit began its own transformation to better serve its stakeholders. The vision for One CGIAR internal audit is an integrated, agile, and future-focused function that is closely aligned with business needs and leverages technology and data analytics. The changes within internal audit as a service will continue to take place throughout 2022.

Within this context, internal audit across CGIAR continued to deliver assurance, advice, and insight to support One CGIAR ambitions and to meet specific CGIAR entity needs. In 2021, the audit conducted 47 engagements focusing on entity-specific assurance in addition to cross-CGIAR internal audit work, helping to improve efficiency and effectiveness of CGIAR operations. The highlights include:

• Following advisory work involving a culture assessment, CGIAR leadership has started important conversations in relation to cultural elements and concrete actions needed to embed the desired culture to support One CGIAR vision, building on internal audit advisory work on culture.
• A deep dive to test cyber security controls for weaknesses at selected CGIAR entities became a significant input into the cyber security strengthening plan across CGIAR.
• Internal audit work on internal communication within the context of the change management process helped to identify additional actions to increase staff engagement with the transition process.
• A mapping of key policies across CGIAR contributed to building an integrated policy framework.

The results of internal audit activities in 2021 contributed to wider cross-CGIAR learning and improvements of operations. They also provided assurance to stakeholders that the progress toward CGIAR’s goals is being managed efficiently and effectively.