Assurance audits for precious metal supply chains (ISAE 3000): An application in Turkey

The importance of assurance audits in precious metal supply chains is crucial for both the sustainability of the sector and the preservation of consumer trust and ethical standards. This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of assurance audits conducted through assurance reports in Turkey. Assurance audits serve as a tool to identify critical points in the precious metal supply chain, identify areas of risk, assess suppliers' compliance levels, and verify the implementation of sustainability standards and international guidelines. It has been observed that assurance audits play a significant role in identifying critical points and detecting risky areas in the supply chain. These assurance audits also hold great value in assessing suppliers' compliance levels and verifying the implementation of sustainability standards and international guidelines. This research examines the current status and effectiveness of assurance audits in the precious metal sector in Turkey. The study is conducted through a comprehensive descriptive content analysis that includes the perspectives of stakeholders involved at various stages of the supply chain in the sector. The research aims to determine how authorized institutional companies involved in the precious metal supply chain apply assurance audits, their disclosure adequacy in accordance with standards and relevant guidelines, and how the results are evaluated. The results of this research provide an important guide to evaluate the overall effectiveness of assurance audits on the precious metal supply chain by authorized institutions and companies in Turkey. The findings indicate that the assurance audits of the companies under study are regularly implemented throughout the supply chain, with compliance levels of suppliers being monitored, and relevant assurance audit standards being partially met. However, the results obtained from the research also highlight the need for improvement in terms of meeting the requirements for disclosure of assurance audit reports in accordance with assurance audit standards, as well as the necessity for preparing independent assurance reports in a more comprehensive manner.