Audit Committees in a New Era of Governance

Overview:

Introduction:

Audit committees play a central role in maintaining accountability, financial integrity, and risk oversight within governance structures. In today's governance environment, their responsibilities are expanding to include cybersecurity, ESG disclosures, and ethical oversight. This training program presents structured frameworks and updated models that support audit committees in enhancing institutional trust, ensuring transparent financial reporting, and strengthening their alignment with evolving regulatory and organizational expectations.

Program Objectives:

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• Distinguish the evolving functions and structures of audit committees in corporate governance.

• Explore coordinated strategies for risk management and internal control oversight.

• Evaluate reporting standards and regulatory requirements relevant to financial integrity.

• Identify procedures that support ethical behavior and institutional responsibility.

• Outline performance review methods that enhance audit committee effectiveness.

Targeted Audience:

• Board members.

• Senior executives.

• Internal and external auditors.

• Risk managers.

• Compliance officers.

• Legal counsel.

Program Outline:

Unit 1:

Navigating Audit Committee Dynamics:

• Core functions and governance responsibilities of audit committees.

• Structural evolution and trends impacting audit committee oversight.

• Regulatory frameworks influencing audit committee mandates.

• Information flow between audit committees, boards, and management.

• Coordination principles with internal and external auditors.

• Oversight scope and accountability alignment across entities.

Unit 2:

Mastering Risk Management Strategies:

• Principles and models of enterprise risk management (ERM).

• How to identify and treat emerging risks.

• Governance considerations in cybersecurity and data protection.

• Reputation risk frameworks and response structures.

• Fraud exposure and structured prevention mechanisms.

• Audit committee role in overseeing risk assurance systems.

Unit 3:

Ensuring Financial Integrity and Transparency:

• Audit committee oversight of financial reporting cycles.

• Internal control systems and compliance review protocols.

• Interpretation skills of audit findings and corrective planning methods.

• Revision process of internal audit functions.

• Evaluation criteria of digital tools in financial audit oversight.

• Non-GAAP metrics and transparency challenges in governance.

Unit 4:

Ethics, Responsibility, and Sustainability in Governance:

• Integration process of ethical frameworks in corporate governance.

• Whistleblower protections and compliance structures.

• Procedures for conflict of interest disclosure and control.

• Oversight responsibilities in sustainability and ESG reporting.

• Governance alignment with institutional integrity goals.

• Role of audit committees in reinforcing ethical accountability.

Unit 5:

Optimizing Audit Committee Performance:

• Models for evaluating audit committee performance.

• Performance indicators and review templates.

• Methods for benchmarking audit committee effectiveness.

• Oversight of audit committee charters and mandates.

• Importance of strategic planning for future governance alignment.