Internal Audit Awareness Month debunks myths around fraud

Internal Audit Awareness Month challenged fraud myths and reinforced our shared responsibility to prevent it.

Have you ever wondered what the Internal Audit team does, or who is responsible for preventing fraud at Exxaro? Internal Audit Awareness Month tackled some of the most common misconceptions about fraud, the role of Internal Audit and the part each of us plays in strengthening governance, managing risk and supporting ethical business practices.

One message came through clearly: fraud prevention is everyone’s responsibility. Internal Audit plays an important role in assessing fraud risks and evaluating the controls designed to prevent and detect fraud, but the strongest defence is a workplace where people act with integrity and speak up when something doesn’t seem right.

It all starts with understanding what constitutes fraud. Fraud can take many forms, including the misuse of company assets, procurement irregularities, falsification of records, conflicts of interest, bribery, corruption, and cyber-enabled scams.

The impact extends well beyond financial loss. Fraud damages trust, disrupts operations and affects Exxaro’s reputation. That’s why preventing and responding to fraud can’t rest with one team alone. It depends on all of us making the right choices every day.

Throughout the month of May, we explored common myths about fraud and learnt practical ways to help prevent it through our everyday actions and decisions.