Announcing Our Code of Ethics Alongside Trusted Audit Firms

From day one, we’ve been committed to setting the highest standard in how we guide customers in standing up their compliance programs and through their audit processes. Today, we take this commitment one step further as we unveil an industry-leading Code of Ethics. 

In addition to our commitment to audit independence and integrity, the Code of Ethics outlines the principles and guidelines that member firms of the Auditor Alliance are expected to adhere to—ensuring a fair, transparent, and quality-driven audit process for customers seeking compliance with standards, regulations, and frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI, and others. 

"We are proud to be a Drata Audit Alliance member and to acknowledge the new Drata Code of Ethics, which reflects our shared commitment to audit excellence and integrity,” said Powell Jones, Partner, Aprio.

“At Aprio, we live by our Fundamentals, which guide us to deliver exceptional service, act with integrity, and embrace change. By following these Fundamentals and the Drata Code of Ethics, we can provide our clients with the highest quality audits and help advance the profession.”

Why We’re Doing This

Audit firms are paramount to the governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) industry, as high-quality audits ensure organizations meet stringent regulatory requirements, build stakeholder confidence, and maintain trust among their customers. 

The complexity of regulatory environments and maintaining ethical standards has heightened the need for trustworthy audits, as organizations face growing scrutiny. We’ve led the charge in designing the Code of Ethics to enhance collaboration between GRC tools and audit firms, in part by supporting independent audits and fostering strong relationships with auditors to uphold exceptional standards of ethics and professionalism. 

“As a Drata Audit Alliance member, pledging to the Code of Ethics reflects our dedication to integrity and quality,” said Stephanie Oyler-Rankin, Vice President of Attestation Services at A-LIGN.

“These principles align perfectly with A-LIGN's commitment to providing the industry's highest-quality audit experience.”

A Pledge to Our Customers

If the industry has taught us one thing, it’s that trust is continuous. With the Code of Ethics, we’re reinforcing our promise to hold ourselves to the highest standard, but also the audit firms that we associate with. 

We’re only looking to work with audit firms that share our commitment to integrity, objectivity, professionalism, transparency, and high quality. Our customers can feel confident that when they work with Drata and one of our Audit Alliance firms, they're working with the most trusted partners in the industry.

Committed Audit Firms

Over 40 initial members signed their commitment to the Code of Ethics including Aprio, Marcum, and A-LIGN, among many others. 

We’re proud to work alongside a community of trusted audit firms that have relentlessly operated at the highest standard of ethics and professionalism, and are now publicly reaffirming their commitment to ensure high-quality outcomes for customers today and in the future. 

“Our membership in the Drata Audit Alliance and collaboration on the Code of Ethics reflects our continued dedication to integrity and quality,” said Christopher Shaffer, Partner at Marcum.

“Adhering to these principles underscores our resolve to offer our clients the most reliable and transparent audit services, setting a benchmark for the industry.”

Here are the first members leading the charge and sending a strong message to the industry on their stance on transparent, reliable, and accurate audit services: 

Key Pillars of the Code of Ethics

By introducing this Code of Ethics, we are sending a strong message about our commitment to uphold superior expectations of ethics in GRC. We believe that this initiative will not only benefit our customers but also contribute to the overall integrity and trust in the audit industry.

You can head to our Code of Ethics page to learn more, but here are the key areas of focus: 

Principles

Integrity, objectivity, professional competence and due care, and professional behavior make up the core principles of the Code.

Compliance With Standards and Regulations 

Adherence to standards set by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and other renowned regulatory bodies.

Adaptation to Technological Advancements

Continuous monitoring of regulatory changes and integration of technological advancements to enhance audit efficiency and accuracy.

Quality Assurance

Ensuring that Drata and its Audit Alliance members deliver the most reliable and high-quality audit outcomes for customers.

Our goal with the Code of Ethics is to ultimately better the industry as a whole by raising the bar for all compliance automation platforms and auditors across GRC, and pushing ourselves to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism in the audit industry. 

Learn more about joining Drata’s Code of Ethics program.