Shareholders Shareholders are individuals or entities that own shares or stocks in a company. They are considered the owners of the company and have certain rights and responsibilities. They have the power to elect the board of directors, who are responsible for overseeing the management of the company. Shareholders have the right to vote on important matters, such as the election of board members, major corporate transactions, and changes to the company's bylaws. By electing directors who are knowledgeable and experienced, shareholders can help ensure that the company is well-managed and its long-term interests are protected. Shareholders also have the right to receive information about the company's financial performance, strategy, and other important matters. This information allows shareholders to make informed decisions and hold the board accountable for their actions. In summary, shareholders have a broad role in providing effective oversight through the election of board members, ensuring that the company is well-governed and its interests are protected. Board of Directors The Board of Directors is a group of individuals who are elected or appointed to oversee the activities and operations of an organization. They play a crucial role in ensuring that the organization is run in accordance with its charter, which is a document that outlines the purpose, goals, and rules of the organization. The board members are responsible for providing strategic guidance and making important decisions that impact the organization as a whole. Broad Role The broad role of the Board of Directors is to ensure that the organization operates effectively and efficiently, while also upholding its mission and values. They are responsible for maintaining the overall health and well-being of the organization and ensuring that it remains accountable to its stakeholders, such as shareholders, employees, customers, and the community. Specific Activities Overall Operations: The Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the overall operations of the organization. This includes monitoring the performance of the executive team, reviewing financial reports, and ensuring that the organization's resources are being used effectively. They may also be involved in setting strategic goals and objectives for the organization. Performance: The board members are tasked with evaluating the performance of the organization and its leadership. They review key performance indicators, assess the achievement of goals, and provide feedback and guidance to the executive team. They may also be involved in succession planning and ensuring that the organization has the right leadership in place to drive its success. Compliance/Legal Conformance: The Board of Directors plays a crucial role in ensuring that the organization complies with all applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards. They are responsible for establishing and monitoring internal controls, risk management processes, and compliance programs. They may also be involved in reviewing and approving legal documents, such as contracts and agreements, to ensure that they are in the best interest of the organization. In summary, the Board of Directors has a broad role in overseeing the organization and ensuring its proper functioning. They are responsible for overall operations, performance evaluation, and compliance with legal and ethical standards. Their primary goal is to ensure that the organization operates in the best interest of its stakeholders and remains accountable for its actions. Non-Executive or Independent Directors Non-Executive or Independent Directors are a part of the board of directors of a company who do not hold any executive position in the company. They are not involved in the day-to-day operations of the company but play a crucial role in providing an independent and objective perspective to the decision-making process. These directors are appointed based on their expertise, experience, and ability to provide unbiased advice and guidance to the company. They are expected to act in the best interest of the company and its shareholders, rather than representing any specific stakeholder group. They are responsible for overseeing the performance of the executive directors and ensuring that the company is being managed effectively and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Broad Role The broad role of Non-Executive or Independent Directors is similar to that of the entire board of directors. They are responsible for making strategic decisions, setting the company's objectives, and monitoring its performance. They contribute to the development and implementation of the company's overall strategy and provide guidance and oversight to the executive management team. They also play a crucial role in ensuring that the company operates in an ethical and responsible manner, taking into consideration the interests of various stakeholders such as employees, customers, suppliers, and the community. Specific Activities Non-Executive or Independent Directors have specific activities that they need to undertake as part of their role. One of the key activities is to understand the organization, its business, its operating environment, and its financial position. This involves gaining a deep understanding of the company's industry, market dynamics, competitive landscape, and the factors that impact its financial performance. They need to stay updated on the latest industry trends, technological advancements, and regulatory changes that may affect the company's operations. By understanding the organization and its environment, Non-Executive or Independent Directors are better equipped to provide valuable insights and advice to the board and the executive management team. This understanding helps them in making informed decisions and ensuring that the company is well-positioned to achieve its strategic objectives and navigate any challenges or risks that may arise Management Broad Role: Management refers to the process of coordinating and overseeing the activities of an organization to achieve its goals and objectives. This involves ensuring that the organization operates efficiently and effectively, and that resources are allocated and utilized appropriately. Management is responsible for making decisions and taking actions that will lead to the success and growth of the organization. One of the key responsibilities of management is to provide accurate and timely reports to shareholders and other stakeholders. Shareholders are individuals or entities that own shares or stocks in the organization, while stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest or are affected by the organization's activities. Specific activities: One of these activities is recommending the strategic direction of the organization. Strategic direction refers to the long-term goals and objectives of the organization, as well as the plans and actions needed to achieve them. Management plays a crucial role in determining the strategic direction by analyzing the internal and external environment, identifying opportunities and threats, and formulating strategies to capitalize on the opportunities and mitigate the threats. Once the strategic direction is determined, management then translates the strategic plan into the operations of the business. This means that management takes the high-level strategic goals and breaks them down into specific actions and tasks that need to be carried out by different departments and individuals within the organization. By doing so, management ensures that the strategic plan is implemented effectively and that the organization is moving towards its desired outcomes. In summary, management has a broad role in effectively managing the organization and providing accurate and timely reports to shareholders and stakeholders. This involves specific activities such as recommending the strategic direction and translating the strategic plan into the operations of the business. Audit Committees of the Board of Directors The audit committee is a group of individuals who are responsible for overseeing the internal and external audit functions within an organization. The board of directors appoints the members of the audit committee, who are typically independent and have expertise in finance, accounting, and auditing. The audit committee's main role is to provide oversight of the audit process and ensure that it is conducted effectively and independently. The committee is responsible for reviewing and discussing the findings of both the internal auditor (an employee of the organization) and the external auditor (an independent thirdparty firm). By discussing these findings, the committee can gain a comprehensive understanding of the organization's financial and operational risks and make informed decisions. The committee then advises the board of directors and management on specific actions that should be taken based on the audit findings. These actions may include implementing new internal controls, addressing identified weaknesses, or making changes to financial reporting processes. The committee's recommendations are crucial in ensuring that the organization maintains strong financial governance and compliance with relevant laws and regulations. The audit committee plays a vital role in promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity within the organization's financial reporting and auditing processes Regulators Board of Accountancy: The Board of Accountancy is a regulatory body that oversees and regulates the accounting profession. It is responsible for setting the expectations of audit quality and accounting quality Broad Role Setting expectations of audit quality: The Board of Accountancy establishes the standards and criteria that auditors must meet in order to ensure the quality of their work. This includes guidelines for conducting audits, evaluating financial statements, and reporting on the accuracy and reliability of financial information. Setting expectations of accounting quality: The Board of Accountancy also sets the standards and expectations for the quality of accounting practices. This includes guidelines for recording and reporting financial transactions, preparing financial statements, and ensuring compliance with accounting principles and regulations. Specific activities Conducting CPA Licensure Board Examination: One of the specific activities of the Board of Accountancy is to administer the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Licensure Board Examination. This examination is a requirement for individuals who wish to become licensed CPAs and practice public accounting. It tests the knowledge and skills necessary to perform accounting and auditing tasks competently and ethically. In summary, the highlighted text explains the role of the Board of Accountancy as a regulator in the accounting profession. It highlights their responsibility in setting expectations for audit quality and accounting quality, as well as their specific activity of conducting the CPA Licensure Board Examination. Regulators The SEC has a broad role in ensuring the accuracy, timeliness, and fairness of public reporting of financial and other information for public companies. Public companies are those that have issued securities, such as stocks or bonds, to the general public and are listed on a stock exchange. The SEC's main objective is to protect investors and maintain the integrity of the securities markets. To achieve this, the SEC reviews the filings made by public companies to ensure that they comply with the relevant laws and regulations. Filings refer to the documents that public companies are required to submit to the SEC, such as annual reports, quarterly reports, and other disclosures. The SEC reviews these filings to ensure that the information provided is accurate, complete, and in compliance with the applicable accounting and reporting standards. By reviewing these filings, the SEC aims to provide investors with reliable and transparent information about public companies, enabling them to make informed investment decisions. The SEC also plays a role in enforcing securities laws and regulations, investigating potential violations, and taking enforcement actions against individuals or companies that engage in fraudulent or deceptive practices. Overall, the SEC's activities are aimed at promoting fair and efficient markets, protecting investors, and maintaining the integrity of the securities industry External Auditors Broad Role: External auditors are professionals who are hired by companies to perform audits of their financial statements. The main objective of external auditors is to ensure that the financial statements of a company are free from material misstatements. Material misstatements refer to errors or omissions in the financial statements that could potentially impact the decision-making of users of those statements, such as investors or creditors. External auditors also specifically look for misstatements that may be due to fraud, which is intentional deception or manipulation of financial information. Specific activities include among others: One of the key activities of external auditors is to examine the financial statements of public companies. Public companies are those that have shares traded on a stock exchange and are required to disclose their financial information to the public. The audit process involves a thorough examination of the company's financial records, transactions, and supporting documentation. External auditors assess the company's internal controls, which are the policies and procedures in place to ensure the accuracy and reliability of financial reporting. They also perform tests and procedures to gather evidence and evaluate the reasonableness of the financial statements. External auditors may also communicate with management and key personnel to gain a better understanding of the company's operations and financial reporting processes. The ultimate goal of the external audit is to express an opinion on the fairness and reliability of the financial statements. This opinion is included in the auditor's report, which is a formal document issued by the auditor. In summary, external auditors play a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of a company's financial statements. They perform audits to identify and address material misstatements, including those that may be due to fraud. Their specific activities include examining financial records, assessing internal controls, performing tests and procedures, and ultimately expressing an opinion on the fairness of the financial statements. Internal Auditors Internal auditors are professionals who are responsible for evaluating and assessing various aspects of a company's operations. They play a crucial role in ensuring that the company's policies and procedures are being followed, and that the company is in compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Broad Role The broad role of internal auditors involves performing audits of companies to assess their compliance with company policies and laws. This means that they review and examine the company's practices and procedures to ensure that they align with the established policies and legal requirements. By doing so, internal auditors help to identify any potential areas of noncompliance and recommend corrective actions to address them. In addition to compliance audits, internal auditors also evaluate the efficiency of a company's operations. This means that they assess how well the company is utilizing its resources, such as manpower, technology, and financial assets, to achieve its objectives. By identifying areas of inefficiency, internal auditors can provide recommendations for improving processes and increasing productivity. Another important aspect of the internal auditor's role is conducting periodic evaluations and tests of controls. Controls refer to the measures and procedures put in place by a company to safeguard its assets, ensure accuracy and reliability of financial reporting, and promote operational efficiency. Internal auditors assess the effectiveness of these controls by testing them and identifying any weaknesses or gaps that may exist. They then provide recommendations for strengthening controls to mitigate risks and improve overall control environment. Specific Activities Some specific activities that internal auditors engage in include: Evaluating internal controls: Internal auditors assess the design and effectiveness of controls in place to ensure that they are adequate and functioning as intended. This involves reviewing policies, procedures, and documentation, as well as conducting interviews and testing transactions to validate the effectiveness of controls. In summary, internal auditors have a broad role that includes performing audits to assess compliance with company policies and laws, evaluating the efficiency of operations, and conducting periodic evaluations and tests of controls. Their specific activities involve assessing internal controls to ensure their adequacy and effectiveness. By fulfilling these responsibilities, internal auditors contribute to the overall governance, risk management, and control processes of a company