The impact of audit committees on the independence of the internal auditor within the framework of Saudi auditing standards

a field study on a sample of public shareholding companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the period (2010 - 2021)

Abstract

This study aimed at the importance of the audit committees in the independence of the internal auditor by laying down foundations and rules to protect him from any administrative trends or pressures in the company, as well as creating the appropriate situation for him so that he can complete the internal audit work as required of him. One of the most prominent roles of the audit committees is the transparency and credibility of the financial reports prepared by the internal auditor and their impartiality from any administrative interference in the company, as well as linking the standards of Saudi accountants and contributing to giving confidence in the control process and the credibility of the financial reports of the internal auditors and supporting the audit committees in documenting their work on sound foundations. The study relied on the descriptive method and the historical method to analyze previous studies. The study concluded that the internal audit plays a role in preserving public money, reducing the risks of theft and fraud, and evaluating accounting information. The study also recommended the use of modern methods in the accounting system applied in order to evaluate and reach the fair and real value of assets and the need to pay attention to building an effective internal audit system through which the desired goals can be achieved.