SOX 404 Virtual Conference: Redesigning Your SOX Program to Drive Value in the New Post-COVID World

DAY ONE AGENDA

Welcome & Opening Remarks
8:45 – 9:00 AM

Recent Regulations That Will Impact SOX Programs
9:00 – 10:00 AM
The SEC and PCAOB continue to focus on Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR). This session will provide an overview of the specific ICFR areas that remain on their combined radar, including current trends of material weaknesses and the growing emphasis on ESG and Cybersecurity disclosures.

Break
10:00 – 10:05 AM

Audit Committee’s Role in Financial Reporting & Oversight
10:05 – 11:05 AM
In addition to financial reporting oversight, Audit Committees are also responsible for overseeing risk, ethics and compliance, and internal and external audits. However, this role is constantly evolving as a result of changes within the business environment. In this session, a panel of experts including audit committee members will discuss the common challenges that Audit Committees are facing, such as enhancing communication, bolstering the strength of audit functions, assembling the right committee personnel, and managing workload.

Break
11:05 – 11:10 AM

ESG Discussion: Panel Discussion
11:10 AM – 12:10 PM
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) has become a permanent addition to public company corporate reporting and performance measurement. It is also creating additional customer reporting mandates for private companies. Stakeholders, such as investors, regulators, employees and customers, are requesting and even demanding greater transparency. Accuracy and completeness is expected now at the same level of maturity as financial disclosure and performance. In this session, we will discuss:
• Making ESG an integral part of strategy and governance
• The transition from voluntary to regulated reporting under three regimes—US SEC, ISSB and CSRD
• Global convergence of ESG standards and regional requirements
• Integrating ESG into Enterprise Risk Management
• Internal Control over Sustainability Reporting (ICSR)
• Assurance requirements and standards for assurers

Lunch
12:10 – 1:00 PM

Cybersecurity & Ransomware
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Since the threats posed by cyberattacks continue to evolve, companies must remain vigilant and make sure that their cybersecurity and ransomware defense remains updated, capable, and efficient. This session will focus on:
• Commercial cybersecurity
• Understanding the history of cyberattacks and ransomware
• Restoring operations after an attack
• Proposed SEC cybersecurity disclosures
• Risk governance

Break
2:00 – 2:05 PM

Industry Panel Discussion: SOX Insights, Including Innovation in the SOX Program
2:05 – 3:35 PM
This roundtable panel discussion will be moderated by a Big 4 accounting leader, and feature industry practitioners who will provide insights on today's hottest risk management and SOX compliance topics. In this highly interactive session, we encourage attendees to share their real-world experiences, and gain solutions to their biggest challenges from the nation's leading SOX authorities, taking into account lessons learned.

Break
3:35 – 3:40 PM

Third-Party Risk Management
3:40 – 4:40 PM
Businesses increasingly rely on third parties to drive efficiency and cost savings. As a downside, businesses find it hard to manage how third parties use their data. This session will focus on areas where organizations are being asked to emphasize, including:
• Conducting coordinated risk assessment across the supply chain
• Ensuring that IT and systems are fully secured
• Carefully selecting the critical service providers
• Addressing regulatory requirements and incorporating policies and procedures across the business to
  assess risk across the whole third-party lifecycle

Closing Remarks
4:40 – 4:50 PM

DAY TWO AGENDA

Opening Remarks
8:45 – 9:00 AM

Geopolitical Risk
9:00 – 9:50 AM
Businesses today must understand how to effectively and safely navigate Geopolitical Risk and incorporate these approaches into their overall risk management strategies. In this session, we will discuss:
• Identifying/collecting quantitative potential risk indicators
• Developing/acquiring the ability to assess the business impact of political risk
• Understanding geopolitical risk management instruments
• Evaluating key performance indicators to map your company's footprint within the political
  environment

Break
9:50 – 10:00 AM

Using Data Analytics in Internal Audit
10:00 – 10:40 AM
The availability and access to data throughout an organization provides opportunity for internal audit to transform their processes using data analytics. This session will focus on understanding how analytics and digital enablers can change traditional approaches to internal audit, methods for overcoming common challenges, and example solutions across various processes and testing.

Break
10:40  – 10:50 AM

Panel Discussion: ICFR Lessons Learned & Leading Practices
10:50 – 11:40 AM
This roundtable discussion will examine how lessons learned during the pandemic can be used to optimize your current and future SOX life cycles. You will discover ways to improve risk assessment, control selection and design, controls related to significant unusual transactions, Information Used in Controls (IUC), and how to implement new technology to modernize your SOX program.

Lunch
11:40 AM – 12:40 PM

Metaverse Rise & Risks
12:40 – 1:30 PM
This session aims to educate participants on the rise of the Metaverse and how it is being utilized by businesses to drive long-term, innovative value. By understanding the impacts on businesses and consumers, you will be able to identify and assess the associated risks and potential legal implications resulting from metaverse-related strategies and products. Session objectives:
• Understand key trends and industry profile of the metaverse-related business strategies
• Discuss how companies are approaching their metaverse strategies
• Recognize how risk management is incorporated into their approach

Break
1:30 – 1:40 PM

Integrated Risk Management & Panel Discussion
1:40 – 2:30 PM
Integrated risk management uses a digitally enabled, forward-looking approach to improve business decision-making and performance across the three lines of defense. In this session we will discuss how effective integrated risk management programs function, promote transparency, and give management better decision-making information as well as the role a company's risk management program plays in this environment.

Break
2:30 – 2:45 PM

SEC Enforcement, FCPA Compliance & Other Regulatory Compliance
2:45 – 4:00 PM
• Recent trends in SEC enforcement
• Scrutiny of Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR)
• Leading practices in FCPA compliance

Closing Remarks
4:00 – 4:15 PM

Conference Ends
4:15 PM