The IIA Tops 200,000 Members

Global expansion catapults professional organization past historic milestone

LAKE MARY, Fla. (29 April, 2019) — Buoyed by the critical role internal auditing increasingly plays in organizations around the world, The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) announced before hundreds of North American chapter leaders gathered in Orlando, Florida, this week that it has exceeded 200,000 members for the first time.

As the profession’s global voice, recognized authority, acknowledged leader, chief advocate, and principal educator, The IIA sets high standards for the profession, promotes professional certification, and provides innovative tools, techniques, and best internal audit practices. IIA members have an in-depth understanding of an organization’s culture, systems, and processes, and provide assurance that internal controls in place are adequate to mitigate risks, governance processes are effective and efficient, and organizational goals and objectives are met.

“The significance of reaching this number is not simply the global reach of The IIA, but rather how our organization supports members’ continuous growth and professional development to do their jobs better and protect and enhance organizational value,” said IIA President and CEO Richard F. Chambers, CIA, QIAL, CGAP, CCSA, CRMA. “We are seeing tremendous gains with membership now in more than 170 countries and territories in all corners of the world, from Southeast Asia and Europe to Africa and North America.”

Indeed, some of the greatest growth in just the past year occurred in countries such as Indonesia, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Kenya, and France.

“Our geographic penetration and diversity, combined with our technological advancement and state-of-the-art practices, have resulted in an expanded global awareness of how essential professional internal auditing is in both private and public sectors,” said IIA Global Chairman Naohiro Mouri, CIA. He pointed out that, in concert with IIA membership growth, there has been a global surge in corporate recognition and adoption of internal auditing as a key component of risk management and effective internal control.

Chambers attributes much of that recognition to the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) program, the only globally recognized internal audit certification. In fact, the number of awarded CIAs is also at record levels, topping 150,000 in 2018 and now totaling 160,000 worldwide.

“Considering the enormous responsibility internal auditors carry on behalf of their organizations, they must have the highest level of integrity and proficiency,” Chambers said, “and the CIA designation demonstrates that.”

For more information about The IIA, visit https://global.theiia.org.

Media contact:
John Babinchak
+1-407-937-1240/+1-407-425-5560
John.Babinchak@TheIIA.org

About The Institute of Internal Auditors
The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) is the internal audit profession’s most widely recognized advocate, educator, and provider of standards, guidance, and certifications. Established in 1941, The IIA today serves more than 200,000 members from more than 170 countries and territories. The IIA’s global headquarters are in Lake Mary, Fla. For more information, visit https://global.theiia.org.