Compliance
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Now You Don't See It
Auditors are less likely to find manipulated earnings when management directs their attention away from areas of financial statements that contain errors.
March 1, 2010
Distraction and deception go hand in hand, whether in a magic act or at a dishonest company. Sam Antar, the ex-CFO of electronics retailer Crazy Eddie, kept auditors away from the company's fraudulent practices in the 1980s in part by having his staff distract them with constant small talk and invitations to coffee and lunch. Around the same time, Barry Minkow, the founder of ZZZZ Best, kept auditors focused on the legitimate side of the business (carpet cleaning) and away from an "insurance restoration" unit, which was fake. Read more...
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The Greening of Materiality
The SEC calls on companies to predict the legislative process when determining whether to disclose risks related to climate change. March 1, 2010
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Nonplussed by Non-GAAP
CFOs are dismayed and discouraged by the SEC's approach to non-GAAP reporting. March 1, 2010
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Who's Minding Risk?
Some experts say audit committees take on too many risk-management duties. The SEC's new proxy-disclosure rule should shed more light on the issue. February 22, 2010
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Hot Topic: Climate-Change Disclosure
The SEC's controversial guidance on disclosing climate-change risks could generate heat as well as light. February 19, 2010
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GRC: The Solution Remains Elusive
Software that unites governance, risk, and compliance continues to evolve – slowly. February 1, 2010
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SEC Comes Clean on Climate Disclosures
The regulator is preparing to release guidance on how companies should reveal their climate-change risks. January 27, 2010
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Best of 2009: Regulation
As regulators spent the year operating in flux, we kept tabs on their top corporate-finance concerns. January 4, 2010
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Protecting a Privilege
Proposed legislation would protect companies' attorney-client privilege and likely preserve their ability to do thorough internal investigations. December 22, 2009
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Will the SEC Get Personal?
Stung by the scuttling of its Bank of America settlement, the regulator may step up its scrutiny of individuals. December 15, 2009
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