Probity Advisory vs Probity Audit: What’s the Difference and When Do You Need Them?

In the public and government sectors, the concept of probity isn’t just good practice, it’s a fundamental expectation. Yet while the term “probity” is widely used, the services that support it, Probity Advisory and Probity Audit, are often confused or misunderstood. Whether you're embarking on a major procurement or managing a funding program, it is important to understand which service will best support your needs.

So how do you choose the right one for you?

What is Probity Advisory?

Probity Advisory is a real-time, ongoing service. It involves an independent expert working alongside your project team to monitor and guide the integrity of your processes as they happen. The focus is on prevention and transparency, helping to ensure your procurement or decision-making process aligns with ethical, legal, and procedural expectations.

Probity advisors:

          -Attend key meetings

          -Review documentation and processes

          -Provide live advice to help manage perceived or actual conflicts of interest

          -Support the design of robust evaluation methodologies and decision-making frameworks

Typically, a Probity Advisor will provide a report at the completion of their engagement to outline the tasks undertaken, any issues encounters and how they were managed, as well as any formal advice given throughout the process.

This service is most valuable when Probity Advisors are engaged early in a project’s life cycle, particularly when the process is complex, high-risk, is under public scrutiny or has complex stakeholder interest.

When to use Probity Advisory:

          -At the start of complex or high-value procurement processes

          -When there’s a risk of actual or perceived bias

          -When transparency and defensibility are critical e.g., political visibility, public scrutiny, or likely Freedom of Information (FOI) requests

          -When stakeholders expect or demand assurance during the process

What is a Probity Audit?

A Probity Audit, by contrast, is a post-process, independent assurance review. Conducted after significant milestones or upon completion of a process, the probity auditor provides an objective opinion on whether probity principles were followed.

It’s not about guiding decisions; it’s about verifying them.  

Probity auditors examine:

          -Process documentation

          -Communications and records of decision-making

          -Evaluation reports and conflict of interest registers

          -Compliance with policies and procedural fairness

The result is a formal report that can be used for internal assurance, external stakeholders, or public disclosure.

When to use a Probity Audit:

          -At the conclusion of a major procurement

          -Before the release of funding decisions

          -To provide assurance to oversight bodies, Ministers, Councillors or internal audit functions

          -When a defensible record is required for public or legal scrutiny

How Do You Choose?

Probity is more than a checkbox, it’s about trust, accountability, and confidence in public decision-making. Understanding the distinct roles of Probity Advisors and Probity Auditors helps ensure that your processes are not only fair and defensible but are seen to be so.

Choosing between Probity Advisory and Probity Audit isn’t about picking one over the other, it’s about understanding what your project needs and when.

If you need support during a procurement or process: go with a Probity Advisor.

If you need independent validation after a process: choose a Probity Auditor.

In high-value or high-risk projects, especially those with significant financial, reputational, or legal exposure: both roles may be necessary to demonstrate end-to-end integrity and assurance.

In many cases, especially in public-facing or politically sensitive contexts, engaging both an Advisor and Auditor provides a comprehensive, defensible approach to integrity. When in doubt, seeking expert advice early can help set the tone for transparent, fair, and confident decision-making.