SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION CRR 2008
Corporate Responsibility Report 2008
18
INTERNAL AUDITING ACTIVITIES
The Internal Audit function in the BBVA Group –in accordance with Basel Committee guidelines– is
viewed as an ongoing, independent, impartial and objective process of consultation and assessment of the
organisation’s internal control systems and risk management, with the purpose being to add value, improve
the effectiveness and efficiency of operating processes and support the Group in the achievement of its
goals. It reports to the Chairman’s office and is subject to the control and supervision of the board of
director’s Audit and Compliance committee, thereby reinforcing the ethical commitment embraced in the
Corporate Governance System.
The following are the main projects undertaken in 2008:
• The development of Risk Assessment methodology, as the process for identifying, evaluating and
prioritising the main business risks, with new criteria for the selection of units to be audited, with the
aim being to achieve more efficient and uniform hedging and increase the contribution of value to the
Group.
• As part of the integration within the perimeter of Internal Audit of business and technological macroprocesses,
a boost has been given to the mainstream work involved in the auditing of the branch
network; there has been an increase in the scope of the review of the markets area, and a balance has
been struck within the sphere of systems audits between the efforts devoted to assessing the
technological side of business macro-processes and purely technological macro-processes (Security and
Infrastructures).
• Design of a new methodology for the drafting of the work schedule, which upholds and follows the
structure of macro-processes.
• Undertaking of comprehensive work on fraud analysis within the Group as a whole, with submission of
a proposal to management for a global and uniform approach to be taken at Group level regarding the
management of anti-fraud policies.
• Extension to South America, Mexico and the USA of the Professional Career Plan, which has already
been introduced in Corporate Internal Audit. In connection with this, consolidation has also been made
of the Training Plan in Spain and its roll-out has begun in Latin America, with the purpose being to
improve the quality and efficiency of the services the Internal Audit department renders to the
Organisation.
• Integration of Internal Audit at BBVA Compass (USA) within the corporate fabric, both in terms of its
organisational structure and in the application of its work methods. Likewise, the process is under way
for implementing corporate working tools.
• Progress has continued to be made in 2008 in the technological support for the department and in the
development and implementation of new software tools for the pursuit of accounting and compliance.
The most significant developments made this year have been:
• Implementation of the Knowledge Management Project, with the provision of work areas and dynamics
that facilitate the sharing of experiences and knowledge between Group auditors.
• Consolidation of Datamart for the automatic generation of the department’s management data,
including the information for Audigestión and Módulo de Seguimiento de Recomendaciones
(Recommendations Monitoring Module).
• Design and implementation of an annual planning tool, which encompasses from Risk Assessment
through to the final drafting of the Annual Plan, facilitating its subsequent monitoring.
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