Published Online:January 2026
Product Name:The IUP Journal of Accounting Research & Audit Practices
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJARAP090126
DOI:10.71329/IUPJARAP/2026.25.1.182-210
Author Name:Joshua O Ohioma
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Finance
Download Format:PDF
Pages:182-210
The Internal Audit Function (IAF) plays a significant role in enhancing organizations’ ability to serve public interest, encompassing socioeconomic interests, societal welfare and sustainability matters. The paper investigates the external factors influencing assurance of sustainability by IAF, using a Likert scale survey for data collection, with data analysis using Linear Regression Model and Analysis of Variance, among others. The study found foreign shareholdings, regulatory authorities and professional associations significantly impacting IAF sustainability assurance in banks. The study recommends regulatory guidelines for mandatory IAF involvement and reporting of sustainability assurance to ensure effective contribution to the ultimate attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A firm’s intention to create long-term value for stakeholders, while simultaneously making a profit and minimizing their negative effects on the environment and society, is the basis for the corporate concept of sustainability, which is the intentional integration of social, environmental, and economic factors into an organization’s core operations and decisionmaking processes (Wolniak & Grebski, 2023).