Executive management has always been responsible for the quality and fairness of public reporting. However, under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX), the risks are higher and the consequences of failure are more significant.

Certifying officers should design the certification process so that their activities are coordinated with business unit managers, process owners, internal auditors, the external auditor, legal counsel and other key parties. In this issue, we answer several important questions regarding these new requirements.