IntoSAINT – A Tool to Assess the Integrity of Supreme Audit Institutions
Supreme Audit Institutions cannot be effective without the trust of our auditees, parliaments and citizens. Trust needs to be earned, therefore the (perceived) integrity of the SAI is a crucial factor. That is why SAIs need IntoSAINT, a tool to assess the vulnerabilities and the maturity of the integrity controls of SAIs and to strengthen integrity in SAIs. Once the SAI sets the example, the focus can shift to integrity of the public sector of the SAI’s country.
Workstream motto: “Keep trust safe“
About IntoSAINT
New Workstream Chair 2017
As from 2017 the SAI of Mexico will take over the leadership of the CBC workstream of IntoSAINT from the Netherlands Court of Auditors.
The CBC IntoSAINT workstream supports the global roll-out of the IntoSAINT-tool.
As per 2017 the objectives of the workstream are :
- Broad recognition of IntoSAINT as a capacity building and assessment tool for SAIs
- Worldwide application of IntoSAINT in order to strengthen integrity in SAIs and the public sector;
- Mainstream IntoSAINT in SAIs and regional organizations’ strategies and operations;
- Demonstrate added value by developing a monitoring system and actively promoting experiences and best practices via existing INTOSAI communications channels;
- Ensure synergies between IntoSAINT roll-out and regional activities to support ISSAI 12 and to implement SAI-PMF, ISSAI 30 and the IDI Fraud and Corruption programme.
- Continue lobbying for SAIs to dedicate own budget as well as for donor support to fund the roll-out of IntoSAINT.
Introduction to IntoSAINT
IntoSAINT The Movie
Ongoing Activitites
During the INCOSAI 2016 in December in Abu Dhabi, the Netherlands Court of Audit will be proud to hand over the chair to the SAI of Mexico. The new motto of the IntoSAINT CBC workstream will be KEEP TRUST SAFE. Over the years Mexico managed to roll-out IntoSAINT not only three times in its own institution, but also in the audit institutions of the federal states of Mexico. In addition Mexico coordinated the roll out in Latin America. This is quite an achievement and all INTOSAI-regions can learn from the good practices of OLACEFS. The Netherlands Court of Audit will remain member of the CBC workstream and keep on contributing to the goals.
Minutes of meeting
Working group meeting 1-2 June 2020
IntoSAINT working group meeting June 2020 (final)
IntoSAINT Summary Conclusions Global meeting in Mexico City 2018
Line 1: The IntoSAINT Tool
IntoSAINT: a tool to assess the integrity of Supreme Audit Institutions
The concept of integrity
Integrity is not a simple concept to define. Many overlapping and distinct definitions are used. The term integrity is derived from the Latin in-tangere, meaning untouched. It refers to virtue, incorruptibility and the state of being unimpaired. Integrity is closely related to the absence of fraud and corruption, but it also entails common decency. In this context, it is a positive and broad concept related to ethics and culture. The SAINT tool uses a broad and positive definition of the term integrity.
Integrity means more than simply observing rules and laws. The law provides a lower limit and a minimum moral starting point. An integrity policy calls for a combination of repression and prevention. On the one hand, an organization must adopt measures to take if its staff act inappropriately (repression). On the other, it must do all it can to remove temptations that might induce civil servants to act inappropriately (prevention). Priority should be given to prevention. Not only is it is more effective, but on balance the investment is many times smaller than the cost of repairing damage caused by inappropriate behavior.
The IntoSAINT tool
IntoSAINT is targeted at corruption prevention and leads to management recommendations to support the integrity of the organisation. It is a ‘qualitative tool’ that enables the user to design a tailor made integrity policy and at the same time increase the integrity awareness of employees.
The basic principles of IntoSAINT
- Self-assessment: SAINT is a self-assessment tool. The organization itself must take the initiative to test its integrity. Thus, the assessment draws on the knowledge and opinions of the staff. The organization reveals its own weaknesses and the staff make recommendations on how to strengthen resilience.
- Targeted at prevention: The self-assessment tool is targeted at prevention. It is not designed to detect integrity violations or to punish (repress) unacceptable conduct but to identify the main integrity weaknesses and risks and to strengthen the organization’s resilience in the face of those weaknesses and risks.
- Raising general integrity awareness: The IntoSAINT workshop significantly increases awareness of integrity. The participants’ collective discussions about the importance of integrity are of great value.
- Learning to think in terms of vulnerability and risk: The IntoSAINT workshop teaches the organization how to think in terms of vulnerability and risk. During the workshop, the participants identify the main vulnerabilities and risks and then make recommendations on how to minimize them.
- Concrete management report/action plan: The end product of the IntoSAINT workshop is a concrete management report/action plan. Under the expert leadership of a trained moderator, the participants formulate recommendations for their own organization. The report explains to management where urgent measures must be taken to strengthen the organization’s resilience in response to integrity violations.
Line 2: The IntoSAINT Roll Out
The IntoSAINT Roll Out
After INCOSAI in Johannesburg in 2010 the global roll-out started. The tool became available for all INTOSAI members, provided they participate in facilitator-trainings, join the regional resource pool of facilitators, co-operate to improve this instrument and exchange experiences systematically on an voluntary basis. Since INCOSAI Beijing (2013) the roll-out is done by regions with support of the CBC workstream. At INCOSAI Abu Dhabi the chair of the workstream was handed over to the SAI of Mexico. Under their leadership we will work on the roll-out in the regions and on mainstreaming the tool, sharing experiences and good practices.
Please see below how IntoSAINT has spread already. On the left is a map showing countries with certified IntoSAINT moderators, on the right is a map showing the countries that have had IntoSAINT workshops.
Interested? Please contact your regional contact and/or the chair of the CBC workstream.
Line 3: IntoSAINT Newsletters
IntoSAINT Newsletters
The IntoSAINT post keeps the INTOSAI community up to date on recent developments and initiatives. Of course this depends on the regions! Please send your contributions for the next post to IntoSAINT@asf.gob.mx.
Posts:
- April 2012
- February 2013
- July 2013
- November 2013
- April 2014
- December 2014
- November 2015
- March 2016
- December 2016
Documents - Progress reports
IntoSAINT Guides and Tools
IntoSAINT Manuals
Members
- South Africa/AFROSAI-E
- Tunisia/ARABOSAI
- Indonesia/ASEANSAI
- Cameroon/CREFIAF
- Netherlands/EUROSAI
- ECA/EUROSAI
- Mexico/OLACEFS
- Fiji/PASAI
- IDI
Contact information
SAI Mexico
Mr. David Rogelio Colmenares-Páramo, Auditor General
Supreme Audit Institution of Mexico
167 Picacho-Ajusco Roadway,
Amp. Fuentes del Pedregal,
Tlalpan, Mexico City, Z.C. 14110.
Tel. (+5255) 5449 8937.
(+5255) 5200 1500 ext. 10453 & 10811.
Website: www.asf.gob.mx
IntoSAINT mailbox: IntoSAINT@asf.gob.mx
Other IntoSAINT contacts: Melissa Janeth Narro Saucedo (mjnarro@asf.gob.mx); Francisco Tomas Parral Pineda (ftparral@asf.gob.mx)
News

ACCC webinar: We want to get to a new level as a SAI, now how do we make it happen?
SAI leaders often have a vision of where they want to head. They know there is a need to strengthen skills, produce better audits, and introduce new IT. In challenging and complex context, the list sometimes can seem daunting and the resources scarce. Strategic plans...

IFAC save-the-date: Global trends transforming Learning and Development
What if we could see into the future? What if today we could know the events and forces that will shape our profession? What if we could design learning and development programs to not only prepare us for today’s challenges but also to anticipate tomorrow’s...

Successful webinar concludes CBC digital events 2020
Webinars on SAIs audit of donor funds The annual CBC meeting has this year taken the shape of a series of webinars, covering different themes of capacity building relevance. On October 6 and 7 the final two webinars took place - on the theme SAIs' audit of donor funds...

CBC webinars 6-7 October : SAI Audits of Donor Funds
Welcome to please join the CBC webinars on 6 or 7 October We are approaching the previously announced CBC webinar on the theme SAI audits of Donor funds. The aim of the webinars is to get issues, dilemma’s, good practices, lessons learned and opportunities on the...

Valuable on-line learning programme now available in Arabic and French
Valuable on-line learning programme on auditing Governments' performance in managing oil and gas contracts As you may be aware, in June this year, the Netherlands Court of Audit (NCA) launched an online learning course on how to audit government’s performance in...

Hold-the-date for CBC activities ahead
As we all know, 2020 resembles no other year and we are all forced to look into new ways of working, communicating and remaining relevant. The arrangement of the CBC annual meeting has, due to the circumstances this year, been quite different to what we are...

Q&A now available from CBC June webinars
The CBC leadership and secretariat were happy to receive so many questions by engaged participants at the webinars in June! Some questions received very good answers by our presenters, which we are pleased to share with you below: 9 June SAI capacity, performance and...

Smooth seas do not make skilful sailors
AFROSAI-E Bulletin 5, August 2020 There is a well-known African proverb that says smooth seas do not make skilful sailors. An apt description for 2020 thus far! While the global pandemic continues to affect many aspects of our work and lives, it has also brought about...

INTOSAI call for FIPP candidates (Forum for INTOSAI Professional Pronouncements)
Standard setting is one of INTOSAI's most important and visible outputs, and the Forum for INTOSAI Professional Pronouncements (FIPP) plays a central role in the process for ensuring quality. It is also an important part of the key INTOSAI strategic objective to...

Leveraging on INTOSAI Competency Framework: SAI India’s Experience.
Please find below an article written by Mr Kulwant Singh, Principal Director, International Relations of SAI India on the utilisation of the TFIAP guides and how his organization has leveraged on the INTOSAI Competency Framework for the benefit of its professional...