In today’s world, managing risk is a key success factor.

An effective Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program identifies and quantifies all risks—not just compliance-related risks—and establishes formal, end-to-end risk management processes. Because ERM covers a wider spectrum of risk, a robust ERM program allows you not only to mitigate or avoid losses, but also to facilitate critical decision-making by evaluating uncertain events that could positively affect your business. ERM will also help you identify emerging risks more quickly and improve the capabilities of the risk management system to handle them. Our ERM teams assist you in adopting an enterprise-wide approach to analyzing and prioritizing risks and aligning them with your strategic goals.

ERM services include:

• ERM implementation
• Governance and corporate culture
• Board of directors evaluation or training
• Facilitated risk assessment

Many organizations rely on Dean Dorton’s resources when they are just starting an internal audit function, when they cannot complete their audit plan with current staff or when considering long-term solutions. Many organizations large enough to have an internal audit department are often not large enough to employ a full-time IT audit resource and rely on Dean Dorton for their internal IT audit staff.

Advantages to co-sourcing or outsourcing include:

• Gaining access to hundreds of subject matter experts, rather than the skill set of the few internal auditors in the internal audit department
• Leveraging the expertise of auditors which can more easily be matched to the tasks being performed
• Flexibility to respond to business risks and ad-hoc issues much quicker than an internal audit department and with more relevant experience and expertise
• Accessing best practices and the ability to benchmark the organization to its industry
• The breadth and depth of our skilled internal IT audit professionals cannot be matched; utilizing our IT professionals makes your business more efficient, ensures objectivity, and allows you to focus on your core functions

The value of partnering with Dean Dorton normally outweighs the cost. We will provide the right resources and level of support for you to achieve your internal audit goals in the most cost-effective manner.

Outsourcing

Dean Dorton professionals will perform all the activities of your internal audit function with the oversight of your appointed executive. Our methodology allows us to integrate our tools and identify improvement opportunities and best practices to provide high-quality, cost-effective operations.

Co-sourcing

You and Dean Dorton will jointly decide on the best internal audit structure and will co-develop your risk assessment and process methodology.

Loaned staff

When there is an immediate need to fill a position, complete a special project, fill a knowledge gap or provide on-site training, Dean Dorton will provide the resources you need for the time period required.

We know that “one size does not fit all” so we tailor our risk assessment process to meet your needs.

Typically, a risk assessment includes:

1. Identifying risks that could significantly impact financial results and operations
2. Categorizing and prioritize risks
3. Identifying controls, processes, activities that mitigate risks
4. Summarizing results of risk assessments, validate with management

Dean Dorton has collaborated with public companies on many engagements requiring compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX 404). We assist public companies, helping them create and implement compliance programs and processes or improving existing ones. We customize our services to meet your organization’s needs and work with your external auditor to ensure your program complies with all SOX 404 or J-SOX regulations.

We have the experience and knowledge needed for annual compliance plan development, risk assessments, internal controls documentation assistance, a readiness assessment or a fully-outsourced compliance solution.