Muscat: OQ Group has announced the launch of its Internal Audit and Assurance Awareness Month throughout May 2026 in alignment with the global Internal Audit Awareness Month. The initiative reaffirms OQ's commitment to strengthening corporate governance, embedding transparency and enhancing the effectiveness of internal controls and risk management in support of sustainable performance and long-term value creation.
According to Oman News Agency, the initiative forms part of OQ's integrated assurance model, which unifies assurance functions within a cohesive framework. This approach reinforces governance and sustainability objectives while cultivating a culture of accountability and compliance across the Group. The initiative is anchored in three core pillars: strengthening organisational awareness, reinforcing the principles of transparency and accountability and empowering employees to ask the right questions at the right time. These pillars support proactive risk mitigation and foster a culture of shared responsibility.
Designed to simplify understanding of internal audit and assurance concepts, the assurance month aims to enhance understanding among employees at all levels. It does so by highlighting the interconnected roles of internal audit, risk management, ethics and business integrity and project assurance. These are linked directly to organisational priorities and OQ's strategic direction, delivered through a series of interactive activities, awareness sessions and institutional initiatives.
Commenting on the launch, Abdulrahman Ahmed Al Harthy, Chief Assurance Officer at OQ, stated that the true strength of organisations lies in their level of risk awareness and their ability to manage it with discipline and effectiveness. At OQ, institutional assurance is evolving into a proactive discipline that guides decision-making, strengthens accountability and embeds trust across all levels. This Internal Audit and Assurance Awareness Month represents an important milestone in reinforcing this direction, deepening understanding and embedding it as a sustained organisational practice across the Group.
As part of the initiative, OQ has introduced the Awareness Month Award 2026, recognising distinguished initiatives and best practices across its companies. These efforts enhance operational efficiency, strengthen internal controls, advance governance standards and enable effective risk management, delivering measurable and sustainable value. The award aligns with OQ's focus on fostering institutional innovation across assurance, audit and risk management. It also empowers teams and individuals to drive initiatives that enhance performance and reinforce system reliability.
In collaboration with academic institutions, OQ is organising a student engagement programme for university and college students, with approximately 150 students from seven academic institutions. The programme aims to highlight internal audit and assurance as key enablers of sustainable organisations and build specialised national talent in this field. An open day will further spotlight the role of internal audit and assurance in advancing governance and sustainable value, alongside showcasing leading practices and real-world applications.
As part of developing national capabilities, OQ has also launched the Young Leaders Programme in Audit and Assurance, targeting OQ employees and extending to internal audit professionals across Oman. The programme is designed to nurture the next generation of professional leaders while contributing to local value creation. The awareness month will conclude with a recognition ceremony celebrating award recipients and recognising initiatives that have enhanced assurance and governance practices across the Group.
Through this initiative, OQ underscores the importance of internal audit and institutional assurance as two core enablers of integrated business understanding, analytical thinking and strong governance and risk practices. It also supports effective engagement with leadership and decision-makers, while keeping pace with digital transformation. Operating within a unified institutional framework that connects governance, risk management, compliance and control, this ecosystem supports the achievement of strategic objectives, strengthens transparency and accountability and enhances the Group's readiness to respond efficiently to a rapidly evolving business environment.