How Littlechild & Haley took up the Internal Audit Awareness Month 30-minute challenge

May was Internal Audit Awareness Month, and we asked members to join our 30-minute Chartered IIA challenge and tell us what they had done to promote internal audit.

Paul Haley CFIIA, co-founder of consultancy Littlechild & Haley in Cardiff,

sent us “a snapshot” of the activities his firm completed throughout the month to raise the profile, relevance, and impact of the internal audit profession in the community.

“We looked at how we could actively engage across our networks to demonstrate how modern internal audit supports organisational success, good governance and better decision-making,” he explained.

“Our focus was on people, clarity and value – helping organisations to understand what good internal audit looks like today, and why it matters more than ever in a fast‑changing risk environment.”

Some of their activities involved ramping up what they do every month – for example, posting regular LinkedIn stories. Additionally, they also visited NatWest Business Accelerator Hubs across the UK to speak about how internal audit supports growth.

They delivered a workshop for business entrepreneurs at the Bristol NatWest Business Accelerator Hub and showcased how the way they are using AI supports their internal audit work and enhances insights.

In the wider community, they sponsored and supported an event at Golau Caredig care centre for older people in Barry – “Musical delights and Teatime Treats” – which included music from The Pencoed Ukulele Band and Barry Ladies Choir.

Donna Littlechild CMIIA, co-founder of the firm, said that one of the most common questions they encountered from people outside the profession is “What does internal audit actually do?” 

“We found that if we reframe it as helping organisations to manage risks to success, it tends to land much more clearly,” she said.

This year, she added that they saw a significant increase in the level of engagement after the initial connection was made. “In the NatWest Accelerator sessions, founders and scaling businesses were particularly interested in how internal audit can support growth, not just compliance,” she explained.

“That often led to a different type of conversation – less about controls and more about decision-making, risk appetite, and avoiding issues before they arise.”

Haley highlighted the positive reactions to discussions about their methodology, which they’ve called “success-centred internal audit assurance”. “That seemed to resonate, particularly where leaders are dealing with uncertainty or rapid change,” he said. “A few people commented that they hadn’t previously seen internal audit as something that could add value in that way.”

Neil Belton, the firm’s Head of Technology Risk & Programme Assurance, said their use of AI sparked a lot of interest. “It wasn’t the technology itself, but the ways it can be used responsibly alongside professional judgment,” he explained. “This gave us a useful way to reinforce the message that internal audit remains fundamentally about people, insight, and challenge.”

What they did

• Thought leadership and visibility: regular LinkedIn posts, our monthly newsletter, and commentary highlighting the value of internal audit, professional judgment, foresight, and people‑centred assurance.
• Direct engagement with businesses: in‑person visits to NatWest Business Accelerator Hubs, including Birmingham, London, and Bristol, meeting scaling organisations and talking about how internal audit and risk management can support sustainable growth.
• Practical education: delivering short talks and informal sessions on risk management, including a workshop for business entrepreneurs at the Bristol NatWest Business Accelerator Hub, helping to demystify internal audit and risk management as an enabler.
• Championing the profession: continuing our work with Boards, Audit Committees, and Heads of Internal Audit to promote high‑quality assurance aligned to the Global Internal Audit Standards, including EQA work and capability building.
• Innovation in audit: showcasing how we’re responsibly using AI (through our LH‑AURA tools and digital reporting) to enhance insight, efficiency, and impact – while reinforcing the importance of professional judgment.
• Community engagement: supporting, sponsoring, and participating in a local community event run by local Soroptimists in Barry at an elderly care centre as part of the GlastonBarry Community Fringe Festival month.