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Risk & Assurance

Robust and proven risk and assurance management services specifically tailored to Government organisations

An effective assurance framework enables well-run organisations to identify and manage risks, make informed decisions, improve their internal systems and processes, and ultimately enhance their service delivery options.

One of Centium’s key differentiators is our approach to risk and assurance projects, including routine and complex reviews. We use proven methodologies and always consider our client’s context, geographic and regional issues, operating model, objectives and challenges.

Centium offers an independent perspective of our clients’ governance, risk and compliance systems to ensure that they are achieving their objectives.  Importantly, we create strong partnerships with our clients to build capacity, improve organisational resilience and facilitate management ownership of outcomes. 

We deliver risk and assurance services across a range of operating models, including as outsourced providers, co-sourced partners, and trusted advisors.  We are pleased to proactively work with our clients in a manner that best suits their business needs.

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Internal Audit

Centium partners with our clients to undertake internal audits that provide independent, objective assurance to improve organisational operations and outcomes. We do this by identifying and evaluating risks, controls, governance processes and opportunities for improvement.  Our team members are experienced, professionally qualified and comply with the IIA’s International Professional Practices Framework and relevant sector requirements.

How we can help:

  • Audit universe and assurance mapping
  • Strategic and operational internal audit planning
  • Strategic and risk-based internal audits
  • Governance and compliance audits
  • Operational audits and business reviews
  • Financial and administrative audits
  • Compliance audits and performance reviews
  • Data analytics and root cause analyses
  • Health checks & maturity assessments
  • Industry specific audits (e.g. Local Government; State Government; Australian Government; Health; and Universities)
  • Ethical culture audits

Risk Management

Risk management is frequently perceived as a defensive discipline – at Centium, we see risk management as a positive force that benefits all organisations. Properly executed and integrated into strategic and operational planning models, risk management can be used to prevent or mitigate negative events. Risk management is also important in enabling organisations to identify and take better advantage of positive events and opportunities for growth. 

Our service offerings in this area include:

  • Risk maturity assessments
  • Development of risk management frameworks
  • Enterprise / business unit risk registers
  • Facilitation of risk appetite workshops
  • Peer review of existing risk artefacts
  • Assurance mapping
  • Risk culture health checks
  • Risk management training and eLearning

Fraud & Corruption Management

Using experience gained from 30 years of working with Government organisations, Centium has developed a full suite of offerings for the identification, management and control of fraud and corruption risks that can be tailored to suit each organisation’s unique circumstances.

As a first step, we offer our clients a value for money assessment of the arrangements they already have in place to manage their fraud and corruption risks.  This is done using our proprietary Fraud and Corruption Evaluation Tool (FACET), which incorporates elements of relevant Standards and jurisdiction-based policies and procedures. 

Currently, FACET maps guidance provided by the Australian Government, NSW Audit Office, and the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption.  New elements continue to be added to FACET on a regular basis – so watch this space!

Using FACET, we are also able to assess the suitability and maturity of an organisation’s approach to managing its fraud and corruption risks.  This allows us to right-size our offerings to suit the size, complexity and fraud sensitivity of your organisation.

Ways we can help:

  • Evaluation of fraud and corruption prevention activities
  • Tailored fraud and corruption risk assessments
  • Development or refinement of fraud risk registers
  • Validation of existing controls against Centium’s comprehensive Fraud Risk Universe
  • Stress testing high fraud risks and operational areas
  • Fraud controls audits (combining diagnostic, validation and stress testing)
  • Fraud prevention awareness training and eLearning
  • Policies, procedures and artefacts
  • Fact findings or investigations

Service Reviews

In September 2021 the NSW Office of Local Government published new guidelines for Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R), which included a new requirement for NSW Local Councils to publish a program of service reviews.

Council Delivery Programs must identify areas of service that the Council will review during its term, and how the Council will engage with the community and other stakeholders to determine service level expectations and appropriate measures.

Centium can work with your Council to design a service review that is consistent with your context and available resources.  Centium has a service review methodology tailored to the local government sector, based on our team’s previous research and engagement with the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government.

Our project team includes truly experienced personnel with practical, hands-on experience in designing, implementing, managing and evaluating community and stakeholder engagement inside and across Councils.

Business Continuity Management

Sustainable businesses need to anticipate and adapt to continuous change. This entails preparing for and being well placed to quickly recover from present and possible threats and disruption.

How we can help:

  • Identifying critical business operations
  • Building and reviewing business continuity and resilience frameworks
  • Emergency management plans
  • Business continuity exercises and scenario testing
  • Business continuity and emergency management audits
  • Business continuity training and eLearning

Energy Retailer Compliance Audits

Centium assists energy retailers with a range of compliance audits to meet their annual regulatory and policy obligations, thereby assisting them to maintain their retailer authorisation.

We provide independent assurance that retailers have the systems, processes and evidence in place to administer and deliver services, including social programs, rebates and hardship initiatives. Our partnership approach facilitates improvement in governance and risk management, as well as service efficiencies.

How we can help:

  • NSW Social Programs for Energy Code audits – this audit provides independent assurance that retailers are managing energy rebates and energy account payment assistance (EAPA) vouchers. We are approved on the NSW Government SCM0005 Performance and Management Services Scheme to undertake these audits.
  • Hardship Compliance Audit – this is an audit of hardship requirements as specified by Retail Law, the National Regulations and applicable Rules, having regard for the retailer’s obligations under Australia Energy Regulator (AER) Compliance and Guidelines.

Acquittals & Attestations

We provide independent audit opinions on a range of financial and non-financial matters as required by funding agencies, regulators and other government agencies.  We provide assurance that our clients have the systems, processes and evidence in place to satisfy external reporting requirements. 

On this basis, we prepare acquittals and attestations, and where appropriate, provide high-level advice regarding improvements to controls.

How we can help:

  • Grants and other expenditure acquittals
  • Reviews of fiduciary controls
  • DRIVES & VicRoads audits
  • Privacy & CCTV audits
  • Compliance audits
  • Data analytics

Health, Safety & Environment

Centium has a highly skilled team of certified professional staff, including registered Lead Auditors, EPA Accredited Auditors, Environmental Scientists and WHS specialists. We have assisted organisations across all sectors to help assess and improve WHS and environmental capabilities.

Our service offerings include:

  • WHS management system audits
  • WHS implementation audits of high risk work activities and occupations
  • WHS training and eLearning programs
  • WHS policies, procedures and Safe Work Methods Statements (SWMS)
  • Environmental reviews and assessments
  • Waste management compliance audits
  • Asbestos management framework audits
  • ISO 9001 management audits (i.e. Quality Management Systems)
  • ISO 14001 management audits (i.e. Environmental Management Systems)
  • ISO 45001 management audits (i.e. Occupational Health & Safety)

Our Clients

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