October 9, 2025

Live Webcast

NASBA 16

CFO - Doing the Right Things Right Webinar

October 9, 2025
Live Webcast
NASBA 16

  • Instructor

    Robert
    Berry

  • Disclaimer for New York State Licensed CPAs
    This seminar is approved for Behavioral Ethics credit and will be categorized in the Advisory Services subject area. It is not a substitute for the mandatory Regulatory Ethics course required by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) for license renewal.

    If New York State is your principal place of business, or you are licensed only in New York State, you must complete an NYSED-approved Regulatory Ethics course to meet your ethics requirement. Behavioral Ethics credit will not fulfill that obligation.

    We are so busy that we sometimes fail to do the simple things as we should. We know that simple things are not always simple, and they may have a significant impact. We should not take certain topics for granted, e.g., ethics, governance, internal audit, and incentive compensation plans. We will review these four topics, concentrating on today’s best practices in governance, internal audit, and incentive plans. Learn from the numerous ethical mistakes made by others. Internal audit can be a profit center. What are best practices in governance? The cost of ‘not doing it right’ can be enormous, and we discuss proven tactics to help you and your colleagues do it right
  • the first time.

Learning Objectives

  • How to successfully design an incentive compensation plan that fits the needs of the organization
  • Develop strategies for enhancing accountability and transparency in financial management. Understand the critical role of leadership in fostering an ethical governance culture. Learn effective ways to engage with the Board and C-suite to drive governance excellence and stakeholder trust. Implement best practices for setting and upholding ethical standards in financial decision-making. Explore practical approaches to implementing corporate governance in smaller organizations.
  • Recognize the value that an effective Internal Audit function can deliver. Measure the impact of Internal Audit. Make the business case for Internal Audit to management.
  • Evaluate ethical dilemmas using established frameworks. Apply ethical decision-making models to real-world scenarios. Analyze consequences and stakeholders' perspectives in ethical conflicts. Demonstrate effective communication in resolving ethical challenges. Develop a personal ethical code to guide professional conduct.

Major Topics

  • • What are incentive plans trying to achieve?
    • Types of incentive plans commonly found
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
    • What makes a plan work or fail?
    • Compensation methods – stock, options, cash, etc.
    • Specific issues in design – The unequal challenge, upper and lower limits, and tying to objectives
    • How to test a plan to ensure that it will work
    • The six factors required for Internal Audit to deliver value
  • The most important factor
  • Implementing Internal Audit guidelines
    • How to measure value and progress
    • What distinguishes a good department from a great department?
  • Key skills for excellent Internal Auditors
  • The proper mindset and goals
  • Getting and keeping the right staff
    • How to cost-justify Internal Audit
  • Making the business case
    • Effectively communicating with the Board and other leaders
    • Accountability in the workplace
    • Leadership, governance and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance)
    • The role of the Board in governance
    • Setting ethical standards
    • The keys to true governance best practices
    • Practical applications in smaller organizations
    • Understanding ethics and moral principles
    • Identifying ethical dilemmas
    • Analyzing consequences and the impact on stakeholders
    • Applying ethical decision-making models
  • Effectively using the Code of Professional Conduct
    • Managing ethical conflicts and resolutions

CPE Credits Available

NASBA 16
4
Advisory Services (NYSED) (Advisory Services) - NASBA
4
Auditing (NASBA) (Auditing) - NASBA
4
Auditing (NYSED) (Auditing) - NASBA
2
Bus. Management & Org. (NASBA) (Advisory Services) - NASBA
2
Finance (NASBA) (Specialized Knowledge/Industries) - NASBA

Things to Know About This Course

Course Level

  • Basic

Prerequisites

None, preferably at least six (6) months of professional financial statement analysis; prior audit experience, internal audit experience or knowledge of financial accounting principles and practices would be helpful. None, prefer some exposure to ethical dilemmas

Advanced Preparation

None, preferably at least six (6) months of professional financial statement analysis; prior audit experience, internal audit experience or knowledge of financial accounting principles and practices would be helpful. None, prefer some exposure to ethical dilemmas

Intended Audience

Corporate financial leaders, corporate financial managers, CEOs, CFOs, controllers, accountants, board members, advisors, and consultants; CPAs in public practice and CPAs in industry; business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals who are interested in realizing more value from overall organization

Provider

The Knowledge Institute

This event has ended.