Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Facilitation & Training

Much of governance, risk and compliance assessments involve qualitative factors that you can observe and generally cannot measure; these are often called soft controls. They include “Tone at the Top”, communication and other observable signs of the internal environment and culture. Interviews, facilitation and management self-assessment are some of the key methods to accomplish the review of soft controls. Frequently third parties provide the independence necessary to accomplish an effective assessment.

Training is a major component of the communication of governance and risk management priorities. Effective training sessions foster an understanding of the organizations ethics, and their risk appetite and tolerance.

Why is this important?

Facilitation is an excellent method to gather information from all levels of the organization and to motivate individuals and groups to support changes resulting from the facilitation process. To accomplish this goal, all participants must have the opportunity to contribute in a setting that does not intimidate them or influence their input. Also, when people are involved in defining issues and developing solutions, they tend to take ownership. A culture of ownership of identification of issues and solutions is a key element of an effective GRC process.

Training is an excellent way to drive change and information down through the organization. Unfortunately, not all people learn in the same way. To effectively convey your message, it is important to use training techniques to addresses all three learning styles, visual, audio and kinesthetic.

Value to the Client

Facilitation and training are specialized skills not found in all organizations. For organizations undergoing change, facilitated workshops assist in obtaining feedback and buy-in to the processes. They are helpful to determine what is working and what is not. For those organizations who require training in any of the areas of governance, risk, compliance, ERM, or Internal Audit, specialized on-site training can be a cost effective alternative.

Why hire M&A?

M&A has experienced facilitator and trainers. We are adept at structuring the appropriate facilitation method and training to gain the best results within your environment(s). Facilitation and training are not a one size fits all solution. We will work with you to understand your environment and your needs and present you with a solution tailored to your specific objectives and environment. Ms. Nissley, a Principal with M&A, is a certified instructor for the Institute of Internal Auditors where teaches a variety of Enterprise Risk Management, COSO and Internal Auditing course.

Contact the M&A Risk Management Services Team at ENissley@macpas.com for more details, and subscribe to The RMC Advisors blog at www.theRMCadvisors.com to receive updates on relevant accounting and audit information!