About the Office of the Inspector General

The Office of the Inspector-General is charged with providing independent objective advice and assurance on whether the outputs of the Organization are produced with due regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness. With FAO's overriding mandate of ensuring humanity's freedom from hunger, it is imperative that all resources allocated to this end, both human and financial, are not diverted from their ultimate purpose.

The Office was given its current mandate via the Charter for the Office of the Inspector-General in 2000. The Charter sets out the mission and scope of the Inspector-General's work, defines its accountability and authority, and ensures its independence.

Working with a team of professionals - accountants, auditors, lawyers, researchers and investigators - the Office has responsibility for overseeing the activities of the Organization's 3000 staff members plus consultants working at headquarters and in the approximately 160 regional, subregional, country and project offices. The Inspector-General reports directly to the Director-General.

The Office of the Inspector-General is guided by a Code of Ethics developed by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). In addition, it follows the standards of the IIA and provides the training and support necessary for staff to stay current with the state of the art of internal auditing.

The investigation section conducts investigations in compliance with the Uniform Guidelines for Investigations adopted and endorsed by the Conference of International Investigators, comprising professionals from international organizations, including UN organizations and International Financial Institutions, and attends conferences and training to keep up to date on the latest investigative techniques.