What to know about civil rights audits
Ronald Machen, partner at WilmerHale, shares his insights on civil rights audits and the board’s oversight role.
Governance & effectiveness
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Board oversight of climate change
In NACD’s Governance Challenges report, Susan Angele offers areas for focus and questions to consider as boards enhance their governance to integrate climate change issues into risk, strategy, culture, values, and relationships with stakeholders.
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Proposed SEC rule on climate-related disclosures: Board takeaways
Three items for boards to focus on related to the SEC's proposed rule on climate-related disclosures.
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Proposed SEC rule on climate-related disclosures: Board takeaways
Three items for boards to focus on related to the SEC's proposed rule on climate-related disclosures.
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Building ESG trust with investors
In a Q&A with the KPMG BLC, Lex Suvanto and Catherine Costakos of Edelman discuss gaining shareholder trust when it comes to ESG.
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Building ESG trust with investors
In a Q&A with the KPMG BLC, Lex Suvanto and Catherine Costakos of Edelman discuss gaining shareholder trust when it comes to ESG.
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Board disclosure of race and ethnicity gains traction
KPMG BLC Senior Advisors Annalisa Barrett and Susan Angele examine trends in board racial and ethnic diversity disclosure.
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Investors are acting: Is your board prepared for 2022?
Stephen Brown of the KPMG Board Leadership Center offers five steps for boards to take to prepare now for the next proxy season.
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The rise of Delta darkens our second-half forecast
Against a backdrop of healthy growth, firms will grapple with lingering labor market issues and longer-term structural issues impacting the composition of the workforce.
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Elevating corporate purpose, ESG, and stakeholder issues
Lead directors and independent chairs highlight key areas of focus to help their boards raise their game and add value to the business.
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Heavier committee work calls for coordination, communication
Four suggestions for boards to help promote effective information sharing and coordination among committees.
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The LGBTQ+ inclusive board
Considerations for boards related to LGBTQ+ diversity, including barriers and myths leading to underrepresentation.
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The inflation question
KPMG Chief Economist Constance Hunter explores whether today’s higher prices are transitory or here to stay.
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The inflation question
KPMG Chief Economist Constance Hunter explores whether today’s higher prices are transitory or here to stay.
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Oversight of cybersecurity and data governance
Considerations for refining boardroom cybersecurity and data governance discussions and oversight processes.
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Raising the board’s game and focusing on the future
Amid unprecedented disruption and uncertainty, navigating the future will require a sharp focus on near-term and longer-term strategy and risk.
Financial reporting & controls
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ESG puts management’s disclosure committee in the spotlight
Amid demand for higher quality ESG disclosures, clarifying the role and responsibilities of management’s disclosure committee should be front and center.
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What the Audit Committee expects of the Chief Audit Executive
Stephen Brown of the KPMG Board Leadership Center offers five ways for CAEs to better anticipate the needs of today’s audit committee.
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When talent risk poses financial reporting risk
The “Great Resignation” and the related competition for talent have become a pain point for the audit committee, particularly when it comes to financial reporting risk and controls.
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When talent risk poses financial reporting risk
The “Great Resignation” and the related competition for talent have become a pain point for the audit committee, particularly when it comes to financial reporting risk and controls.
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Q3 2021 focus: Financial reporting and auditing update
A quarterly update for audit committees on accounting and financial reporting developments, including SEC matters and FASB activity.
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Q2 2021 focus: Financial reporting and auditing update
A quarterly update for audit committees on accounting and financial reporting developments, including SEC matters and FASB activity.
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Q1 2021 focus: Financial reporting and auditing update
This quarter, and in the months ahead, a number of developments impacting financial reporting will need to be front and center for audit committees.
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How internal auditors are adjusting to changing risk profiles
Stephen Dabney and Michael A. Smith of KPMG identify emerging risks for internal auditors to have on their radars.
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Tapping into internal audit’s holistic view of risks
A look at emerging risks that should be front-and-center for internal auditors in the current environment.
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The top issues for audit committees in 2021
Operating against a backdrop of tremendous uncertainty and an uneven economic recovery, prioritizing the audit committee agenda will be particularly challenging.
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Learning from the crises of 2020
The events of 2020 are a sharp reminder for board leaders to take a fresh look at the company’s enterprise risk management processes and crisis readiness.
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Navigating the risk and control challenges presented by COVID-19
Audit committees need to maintain a sharp focus on understanding the effects of COVID-19 on the company’s financial statements and reporting, including the internal control environment.
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An audit committee lens on ESG reporting
KPMG Audit Partner Maura Hodge poses five questions for the audit committees to consider as they evaluate their companies’ ESG strategy and reporting.
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Q3 2020 Focus: Financial reporting and auditing update
This quarter, and in the months ahead, a number of developments impacting financial reporting will need to be front and center for audit committees.
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Q2 2020 Focus: Financial reporting and auditing update
This quarter, and in the months ahead, a number of developments impacting financial reporting will need to be front and center for audit committees.
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Securing the new business reality through pragmatic cybersecurity
The longer-term implications of a “distance everything” business environment require a vigilant focus on cybersecurity.
Private company
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Questions for the board with a SPAC in sight
Directors and management of private companies considering a sale to a special purpose acquisition company should be aware of the opportunities as well as the oversight-related challenges and tradeoffs a transaction may present.
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Closing the gaps in portfolio company board effectiveness
Investors’ ability to assess strategy and operations at their portfolio companies is largely dependent upon the effectiveness of their portfolio company boards.
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Closing the gaps in portfolio company board effectiveness
Investors’ ability to assess strategy and operations at their portfolio companies is largely dependent upon the effectiveness of their portfolio company boards.
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On the 2020 private company board agenda
Drawing on insights from our work and interactions with public and private company directors and business leaders, we’ve highlighted seven items for private company boards to consider as they focus their 2020 agendas on the critical challenges at han
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Defining ESG metrics that matter for private equity portfolio companies
While the impact on private company boards, management, operations, and disclosure varies—and largely dependent on ownership—a shift is apparent in how institutional investors are directing capital and increasing expectations for private company reporting on ESG.
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On the 2019 private company board agenda
Drawing on insights from our work and interactions with directors and business leaders over the past 12 months, we’ve highlighted seven items for boards of private companies to consider as they focus their 2019 agendas on the critical challenges at hand and on the road ahead.
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Matrix thinking
For young and growing companies, particularly those backed by venture capital funds, board building is often more informal and less strategic. Yet a long-term approach to building a strong board as the company grows can make a difference.
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Getting ahead of sexual harassment risk
Discussion about board oversight of sexual harassment issues often comes up only after public allegations have thrown the company into crisis.
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Getting a start-up CFO up to speed
For a CFO of a new start-up company, this is a time of tremendous opportunity. Roles and responsibilities are being formalized, processes and controls are being implemented, and cultures and capabilities are being transformed.
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Accounting for growth
As an increasing number of firms are driven by intangible, knowledge-based assets and are more frequently funded through private investors, accounting choices are expected to play a more significant role in a company’s success.
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Expediting the CEO assessment
Given the expected five- to seven-year holding period for portfolio companies, boards may be able to avoid having to make a switch in two years by being more proactive in assessing the CEO early in the ownership period.
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Diversifying portfolio company boards
Diversifying the composition of private-equity portfolio company boards is a significant challenge, yet opportunties to change are just as abundant for these firms as they are public company boards.
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The challenge of managing investors and time horizons at a private company
Conflicting views aren't always counterproductive and, in fact, can contribute to an engaging and robust discussion.
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Culture as a blindspot: transparency in the private company boardroom
For all its focus on the business and the marketplace, the board itself can be vulnerable to its own blind spot: boardroom culture.
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Exceptional private boards get the basics right
Without a regulator or stock exchange to impose oversight guidelines, private companies often “write their own rules” when it comes to governance.
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Why good governance attracts investors
In a start-up climate that is becoming more attuned to company culture, many venture investors we work with say that a working knowledge of corporate governance for early-stage company founders is a critical factor for funding negotiations
Technology & emerging risks
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The metaverse is arriving
Matthew Ball, venture capitalist, CEO, and author, shares his views on the metaverse and how boards can help their companies assess their readiness for it.
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Securing the new business reality through pragmatic cybersecurity
The longer-term implications of a “distance everything” business environment require a vigilant focus on cybersecurity.
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Why data governance should be part of board conversations
To help develop a more rigorous approach around data governance, we recommend three areas of board focus.
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Data rich and regulation wary
Consumer data is a valuable asset for most organizations looking to extend their customer reach and competitive advantage
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Social media: A double-edged sword, to be handled with care
A social media governance framework can be used to address a range of internal and external risks.
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Cyber risk areas of focus for the audit committee
What information is key to assessing whether management has its arms around cyber risk? Certainly, the audit committee needs to hear from a Chief Information Security Officer or Chief Information Officer who is knowledgeable and can help them see the big picture. But what should be the key areas of focus? While the answer will vary depending on the situation, we suggest four areas of focus.
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Blockchain: Where the board should start
The potential impact of blockchain—on how business transactions and legal contracts are executed and recorded, IP/data protection and privacy, fraud prevention, voting, auditing, and more—is so fundamental and wide-reaching that observers and early adopters are comparing the current blockchain ecosystem to the early days of the Internet