Control 15.5: Review of segregation of duties
The segregation of duties is aimed at preventing and detecting errors and frauds (in particular theft and embezzlement).
Compensatory controls must be put in place, when the following principles are not respected:
• Account receivables and payments receipt must be dealt with by different people,
• Account payables and disbursements must be dealt with by different people,
• Approving invoices for payment, issuing and recording payments, and signing the payment slip must be performed by three different people,
• Bank reconciliations are performed by a person who has neither the authority as a bank signatory, nor is in charge of receipts nor has the possibility of posting entries on treasury accounts (generally the general accounting).
At least once a year, the Financial Director shall review and analyse the segregation of duties described above (review the job sheets and the actual organisation of tasks, both in normal circumstances and also during periods of absence linked to holiday, illness or other unforeseen reasons).
The Financial Director must regularly ensure that compensating controls are effective and that any conflicts relating to a lack of segregation of duties have been adequately resolved.