Leading the audit profession into the future

At KPMG, as we innovate the audit, we continue to look toward the future.

The increased speed of business digitization trends and the growing environmental, social and governance conversations have guided how we invest in technology, and in learning and development.

“Technology and transformation, industry disruption and ESG stand out as increasingly defining the future of the profession,” said Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer – Audit John Farrell. “We’ve worked across the globe to collaborate on what that future looks like, and the steps we need to take today to prepare the Next Gen Auditor, to stay ahead of the curve on technology and best leverage data to deliver audit insights for the capital markets.”

You can learn more in our 2022 Audit Quality Report.

“We cannot take a one-size-fits all approach to audit innovation,” added Stacy Nahas, Audit Chief Client Care Officer.

KPMG is focused on unlocking the power of our people, and our investment in our people is driven by our commitment to quality.

“Technology, methodology and Next Gen Auditors — that’s our vision to continue modernizing the audit to sustain audit quality,” said Talent and Culture Leader – Audit Becky Sproul.

KPMG is engaging its people, audit committees and management teams to thoughtfully envision the future of work to capture the benefits of flexibility and the value of meaningful, purpose-driven connection.

“Flex with Purpose,” allows the practice to deliver an exceptional experience for our people and our clients while investing in meaningful discussion, coaching, and connections. It is rooted in a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) lens, and responsive to the way that the pandemic has reshaped employee expectations and preferences as well as organizational opportunities and risks.

Audits will be hybrid. By matching client expectations with team and individual expectations, everyone involved in the audit is able to come together for purposeful interactions while retaining the flexible workplace that benefits so many.

Central to our efforts is our Accelerate 2025 commitment, KPMG’s commitment to attract, retain, and advance underrepresented talent.

“Audit quality is enhanced when we invest in attracting and developing diverse teams,” said Sproul.

Our investment in our people continues to grow:

Audit managers, managing directors and partners completed at least 45 hours of training, and each associate completed at least 60 hours, including 12 hours dedicated to ethics, compliance and integrity throughout the year.
More than 3,500 audit professionals have been trained on a suite of data extraction and analytic capabilities.
More than 1,500 audit professionals benefitted from cross-training on IT audit skills.
Audit professionals have volunteered to speak with high school students, beginning the search for talent at an earlier stage.
Through expanded Rise Leadership Institute and Embark Scholars programs, audit professionals mentored over 2,500 students and interns who identify as a person of color, veteran, person with disability, LGBTQ+ individual or first-generation college student.
KPMG expanded its Master of Accounting with Data and Analytics (MADA) program to include Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including Alabama State University’s Percy J. Vaughn Jr. College of Business Administration and North Carolina A&T State University.