Accountabilityis the core principle that ensures individuals or organizations involved in thedesign, development, and deploymentof AI systems areresponsible for their outcomes, decisions, and impacts.
According toISO/IEC 42001:2023 - Clause 5.3andClause 6.1.2, accountability requires organizations to define roles and responsibilities, ensure that systems are monitored for risks, and establishescalation or remediation procedureswhen negative impacts occur.
ThePECB Lead Auditor Guide - Domain 1highlights accountability as a key requirement for maintaining trust, legal compliance, and ensuring AI systems operate under clear lines ofgovernance and oversight.

During theaudit planning phase, the auditor's key responsibility is toprepare audit plans, checklists, and resource allocationsto ensure an effective and efficient audit.
According toISO 19011:2018 - Clause 6.4.1, planning includes preparing the audit plan, defining the audit schedule, and ensuring that required documents, tools, and team members are ready.
ThePECB Lead Auditor Guide - Domain 4further emphasizes preparing tailoredaudit checklistsbased on ISO/IEC 42001 clauses and relevant organizational processes.

The principle ofFairness and Non-Discriminationis one of the core ethical and governance pillars emphasized inISO/IEC 42001:2023, especially inClause 4.2 (Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties)andClause 6.1 (Actions to address risks and opportunities)where ethical risks related to AI systems are assessed.
According to the standard and accompanying PECB training guide, fairness is defined as ensuring thatAI systems do not create or perpetuate bias, and that individuals and groups aretreated equitably, with measures in place to detect and mitigate discrimination. This is often embedded in risk assessments and operational controls when managing AI systems.
In ISO/IEC 42001, organizations are required to considerethical, legal, and societal impactsof their AI systems, andFairness and Non-Discriminationis a key tenet oftrustworthy AI.

Theopening meetingis a critical step in the audit process where the audit team:
* Confirms the audit plan
* Clarifies thescope, objectives, and schedule
* Addresses any last-minute concerns or changes
* Establishes lines of communication and cooperation
As perISO 19011:2018 - Clause 6.4.3, the opening meeting ensures mutual understanding between the auditor(s) and the auditee, helping set expectations and reduce confusion during the audit.

In this context, theglobal bankis theauditee, as it is theorganization being audited. According toISO 19011:
2018 - Clause 3.12, anauditeeis "the organization being audited."
Since the bank is undergoing aninternal or external auditof its AI Management System (AIMS), it assumes the role of theentity whose AIMS is being evaluatedfor effectiveness, compliance, and performance.
* Accreditation bodyis responsible for accrediting certification bodies.
* Certification bodyconducts audits for conformity assessments.
* Advisory bodyprovides consultation but does not participate directly in audits.