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Governance for Board Committees NEW

Governance for Board Committees

Much of the board’s most consequential work happens in committees. Effective oversight requires more than compliance. It depends on strategic foresight, deep functional expertise, and strong collaboration among the directors who shape the board’s most critical decisions.

Shareholder scrutiny, rapid technological change, and evolving regulatory expectations have increased the complexity and risk exposure facing board committees. Decisions made at the committee level shape how organizations manage risk, align incentives, evaluate leadership, and prepare for future challenges.

Governance for Board Committees is a three-day program designed for directors and senior executives who want to strengthen how committee oversight works in practice. Moving beyond governance fundamentals, the program examines how committees operate under real conditions, where information is incomplete, competing priorities must be balanced, and decisions carry significant consequences.

Throughout the program, participants explore how committees anticipate risk, align executive compensation with strategy, evaluate board effectiveness, and work together as part of a coordinated governance system. Through case studies, panel discussions, guest speakers, and peer exchange, they develop practical frameworks for strengthening oversight across the board.

By the end of the program, participants have a stronger understanding of committee responsibilities, a more structured approach to oversight, and practical tools for improving board effectiveness and safeguarding long-term enterprise value.

The Governance for Board Committees program will help participants build stronger working relationships across committees, enabling greater collaboration, alignment, and effectiveness across the board.

Participants will enhance their contribution to board oversight by:

Improving coordination across Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Governance committees to support more effective board decision-making
Exercising more disciplined judgment in evaluating risk, financial performance, and strategic priorities
Identifying where oversight breaks down, including situations where information is incomplete, filtered, or insufficiently challenged
Aligning executive compensation with long-term strategy, performance, and shareholder expectations
Assessing CEO value add across financial, operational, and strategic dimensions
Strengthening board composition, evaluation, and succession planning to reflect future organizational needs
Applying practical frameworks to high-stakes governance decisions involving risk, talent, compensation, and board leadership
Bringing a more structured and consistent approach to committee oversight and board effectiveness

This program is designed for directors, executives, and senior leaders responsible for, or closely connected to, the work of the board’s key committees. Each committee is examined individually, giving participants the opportunity to explore its unique responsibilities while also focusing on how committees work together to strengthen board effectiveness and drive long-term value creation.

Participants typically include:

Current Board Directors

Audit Committee Members & Chairs:

Directors seeking to deepen their understanding of enterprise risk management, internal controls, financial reporting integrity, audit oversight, and evolving regulatory expectations.

Compensation Committee Members & Chairs:

Directors responsible for executive compensation, CEO evaluation, succession planning, and aligning incentive structures with strategy, performance, and shareholder expectations.

Nominating & Governance Committee Members & Chairs:

Directors focused on board composition, director succession, governance effectiveness, board evaluation, and the oversight of organizational culture.

Executive Leadership

Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Chief Legal Officers, and Chief Human Resources Officers:

Senior executives who regularly engage with board committees and want a deeper understanding of committee priorities, oversight expectations, and decision-making processes.

General Counsel and Corporate Secretaries:

Professionals responsible for advising the board, supporting committee processes, and helping ensure effective governance and regulatory compliance across the organization.

Future Board Leaders

Executives Preparing for Board Service:

Senior leaders seeking a practical understanding of how board committees operate, how governance decisions are made, and how directors exercise oversight in complex situations.

Organizations Seeking Stronger Governance Practices

Organizations can amplify the program’s impact by enrolling multiple directors or senior executives, creating a shared approach to risk oversight, executive compensation, succession planning, and board effectiveness. Organizations enrolling multiple participants in this program may also be eligible for exclusive tuition benefits, expanding access while maximizing their investment in stronger governance and leadership.

Interested in enrolling a group? Learn more about this opportunity.

Participants strengthen how they contribute to board oversight across four critical areas:

1. Enhanced Financial Integrity & Risk Oversight: Audit Committee

Participants develop practical frameworks for overseeing complex financial and non-financial risks.

Evaluate and challenge Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) frameworks
Strengthen oversight of financial reporting quality and internal controls
Assess the effectiveness and independence of internal audit functions
Apply lessons from governance failures, such as Silicon Valley Bank, to strengthen committee oversight

2. Strategic Compensation & Stakeholder Alignment: Compensation Committee

Participants explore how compensation decisions influence performance, behavior, and long-term value creation.

Design incentive structures that support strategic transformation
Assess CEO value add using financial, operational, and strategic performance measures
Navigate engagement with proxy advisors and institutional investors
Connect executive compensation decisions to broader talent and succession strategies

3. Future-Ready Governance & Culture: Nominating & Governance Committee

Participants examine how boards evolve to meet changing organizational needs.

Conduct effective board and director evaluations
Identify future skills gaps and board capability requirements
Develop systematic approaches to board refreshment and succession planning
Strengthen governance practices and oversight of organizational culture
Foster diversity of thought and constructive challenge within the boardroom

4. Cross-Committee Effectiveness

Participants gain a clearer understanding of how committee decisions intersect and influence overall board performance.

Improve communication and coordination across committees
Align oversight activities with strategic priorities
Strengthen board effectiveness through more integrated governance practices
Apply governance frameworks in situations where information is incomplete and stakes are high

Over three days, the Governance for Board Committees program brings senior leaders together for an interactive, applied learning experience alongside peers navigating similar board and committee responsibilities. Through real-world scenarios, facilitated discussion, and practical frameworks, participants examine the dynamics that shape effective committee leadership — and consider how to apply these insights to the complex challenges facing today’s boards.

Real-World Case Studies: Examine complex governance challenges and the decisions behind them, including cases on Silicon Valley Bank and IBM
Faculty-Led Sessions: Engage with Columbia Business School faculty research, expertise, and frameworks
Executive Panels and Guest Speakers: Gain perspectives from experienced board leaders, practitioners, and subject-matter experts
Practical Tools and Frameworks: Develop approaches that can be applied to committee oversight and board decision-making
Global Peer Learning and Discussion: Exchange perspectives, challenge assumptions, and learn alongside directors and senior executives from diverse industries, organizations, and markets around the world
Networking Opportunities: Build relationships with peers across industries and organizations

Across three focused days, participants explore the distinct responsibilities and strategic challenges of the board’s core committees, building practical insights they can apply to strengthen oversight and decision-making.

Introduction to Committees: Core Responsibilities
A foundational session establishing the purpose, legal framework, and fiduciary duties common to all board committees, positioning the Audit Committee within the overall governance structure.

Audit Committee: Process, Core Responsibilities, Regulatory Landscape
A detailed review of the Audit Committee’s mandate, including financial reporting integrity, oversight of the external auditor relationship, and key regulatory requirements, including SOX compliance and PCAOB oversight.

Ethics and Compliance
Examines the committee’s role in overseeing organizational culture, enforcing the Code of Conduct, and assessing the effectiveness of compliance and whistleblower programs.

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM): The Audit Committee’s Role
Focuses on oversight of the company’s ERM framework and how directors can effectively challenge management on risk identification, assessment, and mitigation while ensuring alignment between risk appetite and strategic objectives.

Internal Audit: Maximizing Value & Independence
This session explores best practices for maintaining the independence of Internal Audit, assessing audit quality, and leveraging the function to address emerging risks.

Guest Speaker:

Dominique Vincenti, CIA, CRMA*
Board Member and Audit Committee Chair, Loft Orbital; former Vice President of Internal Audit and Chief Audit Executive, Uber.

*Speaker is subject to change

Audit Committee Case Study: Silicon Valley Bank (SVB)
An in-depth examination of the governance and risk oversight failures that contributed to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, with practical lessons related to liquidity risk, interest rate exposure, and internal controls monitoring.

Compensation Committee Process & Responsibilities
An overview of the committee’s annual cycle, charter requirements, and best practices for executive compensation decision-making and documentation.

Assessing CEO Value Add
A discussion on how to define, measure, and evaluate CEO performance and contribution to long-term shareholder value across financial, operational, and strategic dimensions.

IBM Case Study: Setting Management Compensation
This extended case study examines the challenges of designing executive compensation plans during periods of transformation, with a focus on aligning incentives with strategic objectives and long-term value creation.

Guest Speaker:

Jesse Greene
Executive in Residence
Columbia Business School

*Speaker is subject to change

Managing Proxy Advisors: Navigating the Influence Landscape
A panel discussion on engaging with proxy advisory firms, including Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, as well as institutional shareholders. The session focuses on transparency, communication, and articulating the rationale behind executive compensation decisions.

Compensation & Talent Management: The Human Capital Connection
Explores the committee’s expanding role in talent strategy, including executive succession planning, culture, leadership development, and the alignment of compensation structures with talent attraction and retention.

Nominating & Governance Committee Process
An overview of the committee’s core mandate, including governance guidelines, committee assignments, board evaluation, and the committee’s increasingly strategic role in board leadership and effectiveness.

Board Refreshment and Composition
Focuses on strategic board planning, including identifying future skills gaps, managing director tenure, and implementing effective director recruitment and succession processes.

Is It the Right Board?: Nominating Committee Case
Challenging participants to evaluate a board’s composition, independence, and capabilities against the organization’s strategic priorities, culminating in a framework for board refreshment and succession planning.

Driving Diversity of Thought
A panel discussion exploring how boards can foster meaningful diversity of perspective and strengthen organizational performance through effective governance, culture oversight, and incentive design.

Shiva Rajgopal

Roy Bernard Kester and T.W. Byrnes Professor of Accounting and Auditing; Chair of the Accounting Division Accounting Division

Read full bio

“Today, technology allows us to scale deep, fundamental analysis across organizations—but strong judgment remains essential to interpret what the data truly means.”

Shiva Rajgopal

Faculty Director

Meet Your Faculty: Shiva Rajgopal

I’m interested in the Certificate in Business Excellence (CIBE), how do I get started?
At Columbia Business School Executive Education, you’ll be able to customize a unique learning experience by selecting programs that best interest you and are most suited for your needs. Any completed program, regardless of format (live online, in-person, or online), will count towards the Certificate in Business Excellence.

Which programs qualify for the CIBE?
Any completed executive education program, regardless of format (live-online, in-person, or online), will count towards the Certificate in Business Excellence. Partner programs will also count towards the certificate.

What programs are considered partner programs?
Executive education programs developed and administered with our educational partners, bring the best of our combined knowledge, thought leadership, resources, and expertise. Kindly find a list of our partners here on our partnership page.

What are the costs of the certificate?
There’s no set cost associated with the certificate path since you’re able to customize your learning journey with in-person and online programs (price will vary depending on the program type and length).

Are there any tuition assistance or scholarships?
At Columbia Business School Executive Education, we offer non-degree and non-credit-based professional development programs to the global business community. As our programs are non-degree and non-credit, they do not qualify for financial aid.

How are CIBE credits determined?
Credits for a program are determined by the program duration and total learning hours.

Where do I find information on the credit value for a program?
You will find this information on each program page. Credits range from 0.5 credits – 26 credits per program.

How do I get enrolled in the CIBE?
Your certificate journey will start with your first program, and you have 4 years to complete your CIBE. You may register for any of our executive education programs on each program page. You may enroll using the “View My Application Cart” button, and the application process should take 5-10 minutes.

How do I receive credits?
You are required to fully attend a program and complete all necessary coursework in order to receive CIBE credits. Credits are only awarded after you complete a program.

How do I check the status of my Certificate completion?
Kindly reach out to a Learning Solutions representative for any questions on the status of your CIBE credit count.

Do CIBE credits expire?
Credits are only valid for four years. If you have not completed your CIBE within four years, we will only count non-expired credits towards your CIBE credit total.

Does the Certificate in Business Excellence expire?
Your Certificate in Business Excellence does not expire. Once you become a certificate recipient, you will join the greater alumni community at Columbia Business School.

I’ve reached 18 CIBE credits, what’s next?
Congratulations! You should receive a digital copy of your certificate at the end of your program. If you do not receive a copy from your program manager, kindly contact your Learning Solutions representative or your program manager for next steps.

Will I receive a physical certificate?
Upon completion, you will receive a secure, digital certificate through Accredible. Within the platform you will have the option to print your credential, post it to your LinkedIn feed, or display it on your profile as a certification. Please contact your program manager for the status of your digital certificate.

How do I get access to my alumni benefits?
Once you complete your CIBE, we kindly ask for your patience as we process your alumni credentials. The processing time can take anywhere from 8 to 10 weeks long.

Can I add the Certificate in Business Excellence to LinkedIn?
Yes! We will provide you with instructions on how to add your certificate to your LinkedIn profile after you become a Certificate recipient.

Will there be any homework or assignments?
For select programs, there will be some assignments to complete after the end of select program sessions. Assignments will typically consist of readings, self-reflections, and brief assessments. This approach is designed to help you practice your learnings.

How long will assignments take?
We do not expect that homework assignments will take up a large amount of time to complete.

Will there be any examinations or grades?
There will be no examinations or grades for our live online programs.

Are there preferred pricing options available?
Yes, preferred pricing is available for groups of two or more. To inquire, email execed@gsb.columbia.edu.

As a Columbia Business School alumni am I eligible for tuition benefit?

When you earn a Certificate in Business Excellence you will receive a 25 percent tuition benefit for full-price Executive Education in-person programs lasting three and four days and all full-price online programs. Exclusions apply**

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Governance for Board Committees NEW