Quality control
Our System of Quality Control
Audit quality is not a slogan; it is a system of policies, reviews and documentation that a PCAOB-registered firm must design and operate. This page explains the standards that govern our work and how you can verify us directly with the PCAOB.
Overview: which quality control standards apply
Every firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) must maintain a system of quality control over its accounting and auditing practice. SESGLO, the PCAOB audit practice of Asesoria Global, Sociedad Anónima, applies the framework that matches each engagement:
- Issuer audits (PCAOB standards). Our public-company practice follows the PCAOB quality control standards in effect at the time of each engagement.
- Non-issuer work (AICPA standards). For engagements performed under AICPA standards, such as certain Regulation A offerings, SQMS No. 1, A Firm's System of Quality Management, required firms to have a risk-based system in place by December 15, 2025.
Independence and ethics
Independence is checked before we accept an engagement, not after. We evaluate every prospective issuer client against Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X and the PCAOB's independence rules, Rules 3520 through 3526, which cover general independence, contingent fees, certain tax transactions and tax services, and audit committee pre-approval of certain tax and internal control services.
Rule 3526 communications. Before accepting an initial engagement, we describe in writing to the audit committee all relationships between the firm (and its affiliates) and the company or persons in financial reporting oversight roles that may reasonably be thought to bear on independence, discuss their potential effects and document the discussion. At least annually afterward, we repeat that disclosure and affirm in writing that we remain independent.
Partner rotation. Rule 2-01(c)(6) limits lead and concurring (engagement quality review) partners to five consecutive years on an issuer audit, followed by a five-year time-out, with a narrow exemption for very small firms that relies on PCAOB review of each engagement at least every three years.
Client acceptance and continuance
Before we issue a proposal, and again before each annual reappointment, we assess whether we can perform the engagement in compliance with professional standards. The assessment considers independence, the integrity of management, the complexity of the reporting, the availability of partners and staff with the right industry and language skills, and the timeline the company needs. When a company is changing auditors, we also make the inquiries of the predecessor auditor that PCAOB standards require. See changing auditors for how that transition works.
Engagement performance and consultation
Methodology
Audits are planned and performed under PCAOB auditing standards, with written risk assessment and documented responses. We use our own proprietary audit methodology.
Documentation
Under AS 1215, audit documentation is retained for seven years from the report release date.
Documentation completion window. AS 1215 historically required the final set of audit documentation to be assembled within 45 days after the report release date. PCAOB amendments shorten that window to 14 days; for firms like ours that did not audit more than 100 issuers in 2024, the shorter window applies to audits of fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2025.
Engagement quality review (AS 1220)
Every issuer audit and interim review we perform receives an engagement quality review under PCAOB AS 1220. The reviewer evaluates the significant judgments the engagement team made and the conclusions it reached. The firm may not grant permission to use the audit report until the reviewer provides concurring approval of issuance.
- The reviewer is a partner or equivalent of the firm, or a qualified individual from outside the firm.
- The reviewer must have the competence required to serve as engagement partner on that audit, and must be independent and objective.
- A partner who served as engagement partner on either of the two preceding audits may not serve as reviewer.
Our interim reviews follow the same concurring-approval discipline before a company files its Form 10-Q.
PCAOB inspections
Under Section 104 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and PCAOB Rule 4003, firms that regularly audit more than 100 issuers are inspected annually; firms that audit 100 or fewer issuers are inspected at least once every three years. Inspectors review selected portions of selected audits and the firm's quality control system. Under the statute, criticisms of a firm's quality control system are not made public if the firm addresses them to the Board's satisfaction within 12 months of the report.
How we prepare: we keep engagement documentation complete and inspection-ready from day one.
If your company's previous auditor received inspection findings, see our PCAOB inspection remediation page.
Verify us independently
Do not rely on any firm's website alone. Audit committees can confirm our registration, and see the audits we sign, using the PCAOB's public tools:
- PCAOB Firm ID: 7184 — open our PCAOB record
- Search engagement partners and Form AP data in PCAOB AuditorSearch.
- Review any public inspection reports on the PCAOB firm inspection reports page.
For a step-by-step guide, read how to find and verify a PCAOB-registered auditor. Terms used on this page are defined in our glossary. To discuss your audit, write to info@sesglo.com.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Who performs the engagement quality review on my audit?
AS 1220 requires the reviewer to be a partner or equivalent of the firm, or a qualified individual from outside the firm, with the competence to serve as engagement partner on that audit, and to be independent and objective. A partner who led either of the two preceding audits cannot act as reviewer. Your proposal names the approach we will use for your engagement.
How can our audit committee confirm the firm is independent?
Under PCAOB Rule 3526, before accepting a new engagement we describe in writing any relationships that may reasonably be thought to bear on independence and discuss them with the audit committee. We repeat that communication at least annually and affirm our independence in writing. You can also confirm our registration status in the PCAOB database.
Does a PCAOB inspection finding mean a client's financial statements are wrong?
Not necessarily. The PCAOB states that a deficiency included in an inspection report does not by itself mean the issuer's financial statements are materially misstated, except for deficiencies involving an incorrect opinion or incomplete reporting of material weaknesses. Inspections review selected portions of selected audits and the firm's quality control system.
How long does the firm keep our audit working papers?
PCAOB AS 1215 requires audit documentation to be retained for seven years from the report release date, the date the auditor grants permission to use its report. SEC Rule 2-06 of Regulation S-X imposes a parallel seven-year retention requirement for records relevant to the audit or review.