Benchmark is a B Corp certified sports marketing agency whose clients range from sports federations, clubs and talent to global brands. Alongside the agency sits Beyond Sport, its charitable foundation, which invests in communities, programmes and partnerships that are creating a more progressive world through sport.
Benchmark
Luke and the team are responsive, pragmatic and easy to work with, particularly when dealing with more complex accounting and audit matters."
A growing agency group brings more than a routine audit. Corporate transactions, employee incentive arrangements and group reporting each raise technical points that need a considered view before the accounts are signed. The Foundation, as a charity, reports under its own framework and has a different set of stakeholders to answer to.
Benchmark wanted an auditor that would get to grips with these judgements early, explain them clearly to the board and work constructively with the group’s own finance team and its accounts preparers.
A partner led both audits, with a dedicated manager who worked day to day with Benchmark’s finance team. We agreed the timetable and information needed at the planning stage, raised technical points as they arose rather than at the end, and brought the group’s accounts preparers into the conversation so that queries were resolved once. Both audits ran on the same timetable, which kept the demands on the finance team to a minimum.
Group audit. We audited the consolidated accounts of the Benchmark group under ISAs (UK), focusing our work on the areas of greatest judgement and risk for the business.
Charity audit. We audited Beyond Sport’s accounts, including its reporting under the Charities SORP, and kept the trustees up to date as the new SORP came into effect.
Technical advice through the year. Where a transaction or a new arrangement affected the accounts, we helped the finance team work through the treatment and disclosure in advance, so there were no surprises at year-end.
Looking ahead. We talked with the directors about how the group’s structure and size would affect its reporting and audit requirements in future years, so they could plan rather than react.
The directors and trustees received an audit they could rely on, with clear explanations of the judgements behind it and a finance team that knew what to expect each year.
Gilberts have taken the time to understand our business and have always provided clear, practical advice. Luke and the team are responsive, pragmatic and easy to work with, particularly when dealing with more complex accounting and audit matters."
Finance Director, Benchmark
We audit owner-managed and investor-backed groups, subsidiaries and charities, with a partner involved throughout. If you’d like to discuss your audit, get in touch.
To enquire about the business and accounting services that we offer in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and surrounding regions, contact our office today.
