Navigating Ethics and Professionalism: Insights into GIAS Domain 2
As internal auditors around the world marked Internal Audit Month, more than 320 professionals from Singapore and overseas IIA affiliates joined IIA Singapore’s webinar on “Navigating Ethics and Professionalism: Insights into GIAS Domain 2” on 15 May 2025. The session, led by Nicodemus Tan, Partner, Governance, Risk and Sustainability at Baker Tilly Singapore, centred on one of the most critical and enduring pillars of the internal audit profession - ethics.
Nicodemus provided a walkthrough of Domain II of the Global Internal Audit Standards, which comprises the principles and standards of Ethics and Professionalism. These describe the minimum requirements governing the behaviour of individuals and functions that perform internal audit services. Domain II replaces The IIA’s Code of Ethics, which was a separate element in the 2017 International Professional Practices Framework.
Participants were guided through the structure and intent of Domain II, which outlines the minimum behavioural expectations for internal auditors, regardless of the type of services they perform or the environment in which they operate. Conformance with these principles and standards is not optional - it is required for all internal auditors. Doing so instils trust in the profession, supports the credibility of internal audit work, and fosters an ethical culture within internal audit functions.
The session delved into the 13 underlying standards supporting the five core principles of Integrity, Objectivity, Competency, Due Professional Care, and Confidentiality.
Drawing on his experience, Nicodemus presented real-world examples where ethical boundaries were tested and discussed how internal auditors can apply sound judgement to navigate grey areas. He emphasised that ethical dilemmas are often nuanced and contextual, rarely are they clearly right or wrong. As such, internal auditors must cultivate ethical resilience, supported by robust mandates, clear reporting lines, and leadership that models the right tone.
The discussion also touched on how Domain II is evaluated in practice, particularly during a Quality Assurance Review. Nicodemus shared insights into common red flags, types of evidence typically sought, and how internal audit teams can better position themselves for conformance.
Attendees were actively engaged throughout the session, with a Q&A segment that reflected their interest and commitment to the topic. Many appreciated the speaker’s practical insights and relatable examples, describing the session as offering “good insights and sharing of specific examples from experience”. Others noted that the “self-reflection triggers are useful” and that the “content and experience shared was very relevant”. Participants also commented that they “enjoyed the sharing and learnt new insights” and found Nicodemus to be a “very knowledgeable speaker”.
This timely webinar served not only as a technical update but also as a call to action - reminding internal auditors of the importance of embedding ethics and professionalism in every aspect of their work.
