Ms Agnese Jaunzeme, Head of the Regional Sector of the Fifth Audit Department of the State Audit Office of Latvia, and Ms Silvija Nora Kalniņš, Head of the Strategy and International Cooperation Division, have received the prestigious Elmer B. Staats Award or the article “Think BIG! Testing a New Approach for Recommendations”. The article was published in the journal of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), which is formed by the US supreme audit institution (US GAO). This time, the jury evaluated 89 articles from 55 countries, confirming the high international competition and scale of recognition of the award. Since the first Elmer B. Staats Award was presented in 1983, authors from 14 different countries have received this award, and the only laureates are the representatives of Latvia this year.
The article, published in the INTOSAI Journal in October 2024, reflects the long-term development path of the State Audit Office of Latvia in defining recommendations and determining their impact: it describes how measurement of financial return was initiated in 2018 by introducing the calculation of the impact of recommendations in practice, and also outlines a vision for future development, how to identify and promote changes following the audits conducted by the State Audit Office of Latvia more widely.
“This award is a significant confirmation that the professional work and experience of the State Audit Office of Latvia in the field of public sector auditing is highly valued at the international level. It confirms that we create and share innovative approaches actively that strengthen good governance worldwide. I congratulate my colleagues Agnese and Silvija with true pride, as their professionalism, creativity and contribution inspire the entire team of the State Audit Office of Latvia to continue improving and strengthen Latvia’s visibility in the international audit community. Their work is a vivid example of how Latvia’s experience and innovative thinking are valued at the highest level,” emphasised Auditor General Edgars Korčagins.
The Elmer B. Stats Award is awarded for excellence in the preparation of articles for the INTOSAI Journal by evaluating their originality, contribution to knowledge, relevance, usefulness and transfer of knowledge to the work of other SAIs, as well as literary quality, creativity and research justification. The award is given during each INTOSAI Congress for the best article or articles published in the Journal over the previous three years, thus highlighting the authors’ contributions and international recognition.
“INTOSAI Journal” is the official publication of INTOSAI, serving as a platform for the exchange of experience and knowledge among more than 190 countries around the world. The Journal publishes research, examples of good practices and innovative approaches in the field of public sector auditing, promoting transparency and effectiveness in state administration worldwide. The publication is published quarterly in the five official working languages of INTOSAI, that is, Arabic, English, French, German and Spanish.
Elmer B. Staats (1914–2011) was a prominent reformer of the US audit system and the head of the US Government Accountability Office from 1966 to 1981. He was known for his perseverance, professionalism and deep belief in the importance of responsible governance. Mr Staats also established the so-called “Yellow Book”, which still serves as the basis for public sector auditing standards worldwide. The award, named after him, symbolizes quality, professional excellence and innovative approaches to improving governance.
International cooperation of the State Audit Office of Latvia:
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Participates in the platform of the Supreme Audit Institutions of the Member States of the European Union and the European Court of Auditors Contact Committee, as well as acts as an auditor of international organizations;
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Ensures participation in and professional contribution to the work of INTOSAI, EUROSAI international working groups and in the INTOSAI Financial Auditing Standards Subcommittee;
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Provides development and other support to supreme audit institutions of other countries and offering international consulting services as a professional, highly qualified, and experienced consultant in public sector auditing including by implementing the project “Building the Capacity of the EU’s Eastern Partnership and of Uzbekistan’s Supreme Audit Institutions in the Process of Integrating the International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI)” funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
About the State Audit Office of Latvia
The State Audit Office of the Republic of Latvia is an independent, collegial supreme audit institution. The purpose of its activity is to find out whether the actions with the financial means and property of a public entity are legal, correct, useful and in line with public interests, as well as to provide recommendations for the elimination of discovered irregularities. The State Audit Office conducts audits in accordance with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions INTOSAI (ISSAI), whose recognition in Latvia is determined by the Auditor General. Upon discovering deficiencies, the State Audit Office of Latvia provides recommendations for their elimination, but it informs law enforcement authorities about potential infringements of the law.