Tone at the Top Archive
Tone at the Top is a bimonthly quick-read newsletter that provides executive management, boards of directors, and audit committees with concise information on establishing the appropriate tone at the top concerning governance-related topics such as ethics, risk management, and corporate culture.
Archived issues of Tone at the Top in all available languages are listed below.
Issue 108 | December 2021 - COVID-19: Enhancing the Value of Governance
The consequences of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic seem to multiply daily, with organizations encountering new levels of complexity and risk. In particular, the last couple of years have highlighted the need for boards to focus on issues that fall under the ESG category — environmental, social, and governance.
Read the December issue of Tone at the Top to see how boards can seek more robust and meaningful ESG data to use in their governance role, and how they can turn to internal audit for beneficial assurance, advice, and input. This issue outlines a number of reports and data points that show internal audit is poised to take on this responsibility.
Issue 107 | October 2021 - OnRisk 2022: Timely Insights on Key Risks
Read the October issue of Tone at the Top to review the report’s key observations, which reveal not only the major threats for organizations, but also some of the roadblocks that may hinder their ability to address them.
Issue 106 | August 2021 - Confronting the Cybersecurity Monster
Cyber risk does not discriminate — it affects organizations of all sizes and in all industries. And global boards and executives don’t consider it a top ten risk just for 2021 — cyber threats are expected to still be a major risk in 2030. The August issue of Tone at the Top, “Confronting the Cybersecurity Monster,” explores steps that boards can take to enhance their oversight of cyber risks, as well as ways internal audit can collaborate with the organization’s cybersecurity experts to verify that plans are being executed as intended and are adequate to the task.
With global cybercrime expected to jump 15% per year and its annual impact predicted to hit $10.5 trillion by 2025, it is imperative that any existing vulnerabilities, as well as new ones created by the COVID-19 pandemic, are fully understood and addressed. This issue outlines various strategies to help boards tackle cyber risk, including maintaining a keen grasp of the organization’s cyber risk profile, embracing their oversight role, and practicing healthy skepticism to ensure they have a clear-eyed understanding of strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities.
Issue 105 | June 2021 - Recognizing the Value of Independent Assurance
Internal audit's deep, first-hand knowledge of the organization often extends well beyond simple compliance concerns to providing directors with a unique perspective on the effectiveness and efficiency of governance, risk management, and internal control processes. But what happens when internal audit's insights are neglected, overridden, or ignored? The June issue of Tone at the Top, "Recognizing the Value of Independent Assurance," examines several shocking, real-world examples of risk management failures and vulnerabilities, and poses several questions directors should be asking as organizations face growing complexities and associated risks.
Issue 104 | April 2021 - Diversity: An Accepted Business Value
For directors seeking to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their organizations, it’s a good idea to start at the top. The April issue of Tone at the Top, “Diversity: An Accepted Business Value,” provides strong evidence that promoting diversity is a worthwhile effort because a diversified organization offers numerous business benefits — from additional skills and measurable performance improvements to broadened perspectives and connections. The percentages are poignant and the data is a driving force behind a number of regulators and stakeholders setting new DEI rules or expectations for organizations.
The good news? We’ve outlined seven guidelines that boards can follow to enhance diversity. Keep in mind that internal audit can provide value throughout the process as the sole source of independent assurance within the company by performing holistic and objective reviews of the board and organization’s DEI efforts and their effectiveness.
Issue 103 | February 2021 - Can Boards Meet the Challenge? 2020 ACGI Results
The results of the 2020 American Corporate Governance Index (ACGI) are in, but the jury’s still out on whether boards can meet the challenge during increasingly challenging times. Feedback from renowned chief audit executives overwhelmingly indicates that boards are falling short when it comes to challenging management. As a result, they may not be gaining all the information they need for sound corporate governance.