Cost vs. Quality of Compliance Audit Reports: Which Is More Important? 

Audit reports are a critical tool for ensuring compliance. They provide an independent assessment of a company’s compliance program and identify any areas where improvement is needed. Many people assume that all audit reports are created equal, but nothing could be further from the truth. Some budget auditors will sell businesses on a service that looks like what they need but, in reality, is a poor imitation of a high-quality report. 

So, what’s on the line when a company chooses a cut-rate audit? 

The risk of a cheap audit 

Whether companies are looking for a compliance assessment for SOC 2, ISO 27001, SOX 404, or another standard, it’s important to carefully select an auditing partner, as the results can have a significant impact on business operations and reputation. 

When a company doesn’t do its research before signing the audit contract, it opens itself up to many risks: 

• Security vulnerabilities: A superficial audit may fail to uncover key weaknesses in an organization’s information security practices. This can leave the company exposed to data breaches, cyberattacks, and financial losses associated with costly remediation efforts. 
• Inadequate assurance: Cheap audits may lack the thoroughness required to provide a meaningful level of assurance. This can leave the company and its stakeholders uncertain about the effectiveness of internal controls and security measures. 
• Negative brand image: An inadequate audit that fails to identify control deficiencies or security issues can lead to a loss of trust among clients, partners, and other stakeholders, resulting in reputational damage that can be difficult to recover from. 
• Missed operational inefficiencies: A low-quality audit may overlook inefficiencies in business processes, preventing the company from optimizing its operations and improving its bottom line. 
• Legal liabilities: Incomplete audits can leave a company vulnerable to legal liabilities, especially if clients or business partners suffer financial losses due to control failures that the audit didn’t detect. 
• Lost business opportunities: Many clients and partners require evidence of a high-quality compliance assessment (e.g., SOC 1 or SOC 2 reports) before engaging in business relationships. Choosing a cheap audit can mean more work down the line if it doesn’t cover all the controls that interested parties demand. 

What to look for in a final audit report 

A high-quality audit report for a compliance assessment like SOC 1 or SOC 2 is crucial for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of a company’s internal controls and security practices. Here are some important things a company should expect in such a report: 

• Clarity and transparency: The audit report should provide a thorough overview of the audit process, scope, findings, and conclusions. It should be easily understandable to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 
• Comprehensive scope: The audit should cover all relevant aspects of the organization’s controls and security processes. It should be customized to the company’s specific needs and industry best practices. The report should include a detailed assessment of controls, policies, and procedures, evaluating their design and effectiveness in meeting the compliance criteria. 
• Compliance with audit standards: The audit should be performed in accordance with recognized standards, such as the Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) for SOC 1 or the Trust Services Criteria for SOC 2. The report should explicitly state compliance with these standards. 
• Testing and sampling: The audit should involve extensive testing and sampling of controls and transactions (as applicable) to ensure that the findings are representative of the overall control environment. The report should include detailed documentation and evidence to support the auditor’s conclusions.  
• Recommendations and remediation: In the case of control deficiencies, a good audit report will provide recommendations for remediation and improvement, helping the company address the identified issues effectively. The auditor should also provide the opportunity for companies to ask questions in the draft phase and include those clarifications in the final report. 

Note: A high-quality audit report will come from a qualified and competent audit firm. Look for certifications, experience, and a reputation for excellence in the field. 

Protect your business with robust audit reporting 

Selecting the right compliance partner can have a significant impact on the success of an organization’s compliance program. A-LIGN stands out by delivering a single-provider approach that takes companies from readiness to report on a full suite of compliance certifications and assessments, including SOC 1, SOC 2, FedRAMP, ISO, HITRUST, PCI, and many more. Our reports cover hundreds of internal controls, so businesses can be sure that if there’s a vulnerability, we’ll find it. Contrast that with budget audit firms, which assess 80% fewer controls than A-LIGN in some cases. 

Don’t just “check the box” on compliance. Get a high-quality report from a trusted partner that can help you make meaningful, lasting changes in your internal controls.