2026 Compliance Benchmark Report: UKI Edition Key Takeaways

Compliance programs in the United Kingdom and Ireland are under more pressure than ever, and this year’s data shows how organizations are responding. In this webinar, A-LIGN’s Elizabeth Strickert and Petar Besalev explore the key findings from the 2026 Compliance Benchmark Report: UKI Edition, drawing on responses from over 200 UKI compliance professionals across a range of industries, roles, and company sizes.

Watch the full webinar above, and read on for a quick overview of the key takeaways.

The criticality of audit quality

97% of UKI respondents say audit quality is important, and the market is getting more discerning about what that actually means. 61% say they would switch auditors to improve the quality of their final report.

A high-quality audit comes down to two things: the experience and the final report. On the experience side, that means:

• Auditor expertise and familiarity with similar organizations
• Use of technology throughout the audit process
• Deep, specific testing of controls

On the report side, it means depth and specificity of findings, relevance and customization, and a clear demonstration of risk mitigation.

Choosing a budget auditor to cut costs often backfires. More than half of UKI respondents have faced rejected reports due to incomplete documentation, insufficient testing, templated findings that lack insight, or lack of trust in auditor reputation. Beyond the cost of redoing the work, a rejected report can mean lost business and damaged trust.

Overcoming barriers to audit harmonization

99% of organizations surveyed conduct at least two audits per year, and one quarter cite managing multiple concurrent audits as their primary compliance challenge. Despite this, 100% of respondents believe that consolidating audits could save them time and money. So why aren’t more organizations doing it?

The barriers are practical: some organizations are required to use multiple auditors, others don’t have a partner who can handle all their needs, and many simply don’t know where to start or don’t have the bandwidth to make a switch.

Audit harmonization addresses this directly. Working with a single, experienced partner to streamline overlapping audit cycles reduces duplicative work and fewer meetings, freeing up compliance teams to focus elsewhere. The key is finding a partner who is experienced, tech-enabled, and able to grow with your organization.

Tech-enabled compliance is the new baseline

Using technology during an audit used to be a differentiator. Now, it’s the expectation.
98% of UKI organizations are using technology during audits and assessments. Those who aren’t are at risk of falling behind, and 97% of respondents agree that audit and GRC technology drives a better audit. Platforms like A-SCEND enable:

• Faster analysis of files and evidence matching
• Scalability through integrations with existing GRC tools
• A more transparent audit process and higher quality final report

Strategic AI risk management

76% of UKI organizations are concerned about AI’s impact on compliance, up from 60% in 2025. Customer concern is rising alongside it, with 77% of organizations fielding inquiries from customers about their AI risk management practices.

How organizations are responding varies. Rapidly evolving regulations, particularly the EU AI Act, are cited as the biggest compliance challenge by more than one quarter of UKI respondents. When it comes to meeting AI compliance requirements, organizations are split across approaches: 56% plan to pursue ISO 42001, 55% are looking at HITRUST AI, and 54% plan to add AI controls to existing assessments.

The range of approaches signals a shift toward more comprehensive AI risk management, even among organizations not yet ready for a formal certification. The bottom line: you can’t ignore AI, and there are options at every stage of readiness.

Key takeaways

As you plan your 2026 compliance program, consider whether your current auditor meets a high bar for quality and whether it’s time to make a change. If you’re managing multiple audits, explore whether a single trusted partner could streamline the process. If you’re not using technology in your audit cycle, now is the time to start. And if AI risk management isn’t on your roadmap yet, the data says it needs to be.