 aren’t just events, they’re launchpads for smarter work, stronger networks and fresh ideas. They’re not just about sitting through sessions, they’re about leveling up your skills, discovering smarter ways to work and connecting with people who truly get the highs and lows of public service. 

From expert-led workshops to inspiring keynotes and buzzing networking events, conferences are designed to energize and empower. But let’s be real: walking away with a notebook full of ideas doesn’t always translate into action.

That’s where strategy comes in. With the right approach before, during and after the event, you can turn inspiration into impact and bring real value back to your community.

clerks and local government professionals

 can make the most of every conference moment. 

Plan ahead: Know your sessions, goals and key connections

Whether it’s a state municipal association meeting, a national governance summit or a regional leadership workshop, preparation is key to a productive conference. Careful review of the agenda in advance helps you to identify which sessions align best with your professional goals.

This advance planning is especially important if you’re seeking continuing education credits or micro credits by attending the conference. Confirm which sessions qualify for credits by reaching out to the event organizer, education coordinator or regional association president.

When planning your session schedule, take time to also look over the companies who will be exhibiting at the conference. Identify a few key vendors or exhibitors you want to engage with and schedule meetings with them before the conference. Meeting one-on-one with a vendor or company representative can be more productive and valuable than short conversations in a crowded and noisy tradeshow environment.

Once the conference begins, make the most of every learning opportunity. Take detailed notes and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Participate in formal and informal discussions to deepen your understanding of the topics presented.

Consider pairing with a colleague as a “conference buddy.” Plan to attend different sessions and reconvene at the end of the day to share insights and key takeaways. This approach not only broadens your exposure to new information, but it also helps reinforce learning through discussion and reflection.

Planning and engagement transforms can transform your conference experience by ensuring you can apply the knowledge you gain to your role.

Get practical tools, real-world AI tactics and a clear plan to drive impact in your organization from day one at Elevate 2026.

Make change happen faster

Network with purpose and enjoy the experience

Beyond the sessions and workshops, conferences are valuable spaces for connection. Receptions, social gatherings, and even informal meals and coffee breaks can lead to meaningful professional relationships beyond the conference.

, networking can be one of the most rewarding aspects of the experience. Complimenting a presentation, asking about another attendee’s experiences, or sharing your favorite session to an attendee sitting next to you at breakfast can open the door to lasting professional connections.

Remember you are representing your employer at these public events. Maintaining a balance between professionalism and approachability reflects positively on you. And while it’s important to stay focused on learning, remember that taking time to enjoy the conference experience contributes to stronger, more authentic relationships with colleagues and peers.

Keep operations running smoothly while you’re away

Attending a conference sometimes requires finding ways to stay lightly connected to work back home. Dedicating just 15 minutes a day to check in on key communications or pending items can prevent backlogs and reduce stress when you return.

Technology can make it easier to stay connected. With Diligent Community, 

 can securely access agenda packets, documents and correspondence from anywhere. This remote access ensures important tasks continue smoothly, even while away. Digital accessibility means you can focus on professional development without losing touch with critical responsibilities. 

The real success of professional conference lies in how its insights, experiences, connections and lessons are applied afterward. Upon returning to the office, take time to debrief with your team and share what you learned. Identify actionable ideas, new tools or process improvements that could strengthen governance, transparency or community engagement 

Turning inspiration into implementation ensures that the benefits of professional development extend beyond the individual. These actions enhance efficiency, collaboration and service across your entire organization.

Conferences serve as reminders of how important communication and organization are to effective leadership. Diligent Community supports clerks and administrators by providing a centralized platform for agenda management, document collaboration and secure information sharing. 

Whether attending a conference or managing day-to-day operations, teams can stay connected and aligned with Diligent Community.

Continuous learning and connection are vital to effective local governance. To explore how Diligent Community can help your team stay organized, transparent and future-ready, wherever your next conference takes you, 

How to get the most out of your next professional government conference

Enterprise security risk management represents more than defensive 

 measures. As organizations face threats ranging from nation-state attacks to supply chain vulnerabilities, security risk has moved from an IT concern to a business priority requiring board-level 

, integrated risk frameworks and real-time oversight capabilities.

 by Diligent Institute and Corporate Board Member, business risk has surged to 7.9 out of 10 — a 36% increase since Q1 — with legal and compliance leaders citing information security (32%) and data privacy (28%) as top organizational concerns.

This combination of regulatory pressure, sophisticated threat actors and board accountability demands enterprise security risk management approaches that unify cyber, physical and operational security within comprehensive governance frameworks.

As such, this article explores the foundations of enterprise security risk management, covering:

What enterprise security risk management entails and how it differs from traditional cybersecurity

Core components integrating cyber, physical, data privacy and third-party risks

Strategic benefits of board-level security risk oversight

Implementation frameworks that scale across global operations

How AI-powered risk platforms transform security governance

What is enterprise security risk management?

Enterprise security risk management (ESRM) is the systematic identification, assessment, mitigation and monitoring of security threats across an organization's entire risk landscape. This integrates cybersecurity, physical security, data privacy, operational resilience and third-party risks within unified governance frameworks that enable board-level strategic oversight.

Unlike traditional cybersecurity that focuses on technical controls and incident response, ESRM positions security within 

enterprise risk management (ERM) frameworks.

This elevation transforms security from a tactical IT function to a business capability, where security risks are assessed alongside financial, operational and strategic risks in the enterprise risk register.

Why enterprise-scale security demands risk frameworks

Organizations with distributed operations across multiple locations, business units and jurisdictions face security threats that transcend technical solutions. Supply chain attacks affecting third-party vendors, insider threats spanning global offices and compliance requirements across multiple regulatory frameworks require systematic risk approaches rather than point security solutions.

, in partnership with Corporate Board Member and FTI Consulting, reveals that while 71% of directors report regular CISO meetings with boards, only 51% have reviewed processes for incident disclosure and response.

This gap between security awareness and governance action demonstrates why organizations need ESRM frameworks that translate security posture into risk metrics that boards can act upon.

Core components of enterprise security risk management

Comprehensive ESRM programs integrate multiple security domains within unified risk frameworks rather than managing each as a separate function. This includes the following:

, threat intelligence, incident response capabilities and security architecture governance.

Organizations integrate data from vulnerability scanners, 

security information and event management (SIEM) systems

, and threat intelligence feeds into centralized risk platforms that prioritize remediation based on business impact rather than technical severity scores alone.

: Facilities protection, access control, surveillance systems and business continuity planning for physical threats. ESRM frameworks connect physical security events with cyber incidents — recognizing that sophisticated attacks often combine both vectors, such as tailgating to access secure facilities before deploying malware on internal networks.

: Regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions (

), data classification schemes, privacy impact assessments and breach notification processes.

Organizations managing operations across multiple countries face complex privacy requirements requiring centralized tracking of data flows, processing activities and regulatory obligations.

: Supply chain risk assessment, vendor security ratings, contract security requirements and continuous monitoring of third-party security posture. With organizations relying on hundreds or thousands of vendors, systematic third-party risk management prevents the supply chain attacks that have compromised numerous enterprises.

, disaster recovery capabilities, crisis management procedures and resilience testing programs. ESRM frameworks ensure security incidents don't merely get contained, but that business operations can continue or recover within acceptable timeframes.

: Multi-jurisdictional compliance tracking, regulatory change management, audit readiness and regulatory reporting capabilities. Organizations subject to sector-specific regulations (financial services, healthcare, critical infrastructure) require systematic compliance tracking that demonstrates security control effectiveness to regulators.

Strategic benefits of enterprise security risk management

Organizations implementing comprehensive ESRM programs realize benefits extending beyond security improvements to strategic business value.

ESRM platforms aggregate security risk data into executive dashboards that boards can understand and act upon. Rather than reviewing technical security metrics, directors see business impact assessments showing how security risks affect strategic objectives, revenue streams and stakeholder confidence.

 and AI-powered analytics identify emerging threats before they escalate into business problems. According to the GC Risk Index, organizations increasing their use of AI for monitoring and regulatory tracking purposes gain weeks or months of advance warning on security risks compared to periodic assessment cycles.

Risk-based prioritization ensures security investments focus on protecting business-critical assets and addressing material risks rather than pursuing comprehensive security across all systems equally. This approach delivers better security outcomes with constrained budgets.

Centralized compliance tracking across multiple frameworks reduces redundant control assessments and audit burden. Organizations demonstrate compliance through continuous control monitoring rather than periodic audit cycles, reducing compliance costs while improving assurance quality.

Investors, customers and partners increasingly evaluate organizations' security governance maturity. Professional ESRM programs demonstrate sophisticated 

 that differentiates organizations during funding rounds, customer procurement processes and partnership evaluations.

Implementation framework for enterprise security risk management

Organizations building or maturing ESRM programs benefit from systematic implementation approaches that scale appropriately to organizational complexity.

1. Establish governance structure and accountability

 for security risk oversight. Organizations typically assign security risk oversight to board audit committees or dedicated risk committees, with clear escalation thresholds determining when security risks require board notification.

2. Integrate security within ERM frameworks

Position security risks within existing enterprise risk registers rather than maintaining separate security risk tracking. This integration ensures security risks are assessed using consistent risk rating methodologies and compete for resources alongside other business risks.

3. Implement centralized risk data aggregation

Connect security data from multiple sources — vulnerability scanners, threat intelligence feeds, security ratings services, compliance tracking systems — into unified risk platforms. This centralization eliminates the fragmented visibility that prevents comprehensive risk assessment.

"One of the biggest challenges people have is communicating what they're doing in their risk management program," says Tom Faraday, Senior Director of Product Management at Diligent.

Organizations need visualization capabilities that translate technical security data into risk heatmaps and trend analyses that boards can quickly interpret.

4. Develop risk-based prioritization methodologies

Move beyond technical severity ratings to business impact assessments. Organizations map critical business processes and data assets, then prioritize security 

 protecting the most material risks to strategic objectives.

5. Establish continuous monitoring and real-time reporting

Replace periodic risk assessments with continuous monitoring that identifies emerging threats as they develop. Real-time dashboards enable proactive risk management rather than reactive incident response.

Develop standardized board reporting templates that communicate:

Effective board reports balance comprehensiveness with conciseness, providing sufficient detail for governance decisions without overwhelming directors with technical minutiae.

Organizations should regularly assess ESRM maturity against industry frameworks, identifying gaps and prioritizing improvement initiatives.

Effective maturity assessments balance comprehensiveness with practicality, focusing on capabilities that drive business value rather than pursuing framework perfection.

Annual assessments comparing the current state against the 

, ISO 27001, or proprietary maturity models reveal progress trends and inform resource allocation decisions for the coming year.

Unify security data from multiple vulnerability scanners into AI-powered dashboards that translate technical risks into board-ready business impact assessments.

Centralize cyber risk visibility

Organizations implementing ESRM frameworks must address threats that traditional cybersecurity programs weren't designed to manage.

AI governance represents a new risk territory. "Put AI in your risk register. No one's going to argue with that. Get an AI policy. "The board should be asking management for a policy," says Richard Barber, CEO of MindTech Group. Organizations deploying AI systems face risks spanning:

Additionally, geopolitical conflicts create security risks extending beyond technical vulnerabilities to business continuity, supply chain resilience and regulatory compliance. Organizations operating globally must assess how international tensions affect data sovereignty requirements, technology vendor relationships and operational resilience.

Supply chain security requires visibility into fourth-party and fifth-party relationships, as attacks increasingly target vendors' vendors rather than primary organizations. To combat this, ESRM programs must extend risk assessment beyond direct vendor relationships to comprehensive supply chain mapping.

How AI transforms enterprise security risk management

For organizations managing complex security risk landscapes across distributed operations, AI-powered platforms address the scale and velocity challenges that manual risk management cannot solve.

 provides the first cyber GRC hub using AI to centralize vulnerabilities from multiple scanners into unified risk views. Winner of Datos Insights' 2025 

 for Best AI-enabled Capability for Board-level Cyber GRC, the platform aggregates technical security data into executive-ready dashboards that translate vulnerability counts into business risk assessments.

Organizations spend less time reviewing security risks while avoiding costly incidents by identifying which systems are most critical to business operations, then prioritizing fixes based on potential business impact.

 delivers seamless board-level reporting, ensuring directors receive current security risk intelligence without manual compilation delays.

 extends AI-powered risk identification beyond cybersecurity into comprehensive enterprise security risk orchestration. The platform benchmarks against 180,000+ real-world risks from SEC filings while incorporating Moody's credit sentiment scores and external risk intelligence.

This combination surfaces emerging security threats — including AI risks, geopolitical exposures and supply chain vulnerabilities — before they escalate into business problems.

By integrating security within comprehensive ERM frameworks, organizations gain risk visibility that enables proactive threat management, resource optimization and stakeholder confidence.

Discover how Diligent's AI-powered solutions centralize security risk management across your organization. 

FAQs about enterprise security risk management

What is the difference between cybersecurity and enterprise security risk management?

Cybersecurity focuses on technical controls protecting information systems from threats, typically managed by IT security teams using metrics like patch compliance and vulnerability counts.

On the other hand, enterprise security risk management integrates cybersecurity within broader business risk frameworks, positioning security alongside financial, operational and strategic risks with board-level governance and business impact assessments rather than purely technical metrics.

How should boards oversee enterprise security risk?

Boards should receive regular security risk briefings — typically quarterly — covering risk posture trends, emerging threats, control effectiveness and incidents requiring board awareness.

Effective oversight requires directors to understand organizational risk appetite for security risks, review and approve security risk policies, ensure adequate resources for security programs and ask management probing questions about security governance maturity.

What frameworks support enterprise security risk management?

Organizations typically align ESRM programs with established frameworks, including 

 for security controls, ISO 27001 for information security management systems, COSO ERM for enterprise risk integration and the Three Lines of Defense model for governance structure.

Enterprise security risk management (ESRM): A strategic framework for board oversight

This article originally appeared in our November 20th edition of the Diligent Minute Newsletter. For more insights like these, delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe

Boards in transition: Why active, data-driven governance is the 2026 imperative

Boards entered 2025 facing rising heightened risk, economic volatility, and an urgent mandate to modernize oversight. We recently hosted Diligent’s Elevate Leadership Summit, a by-invitation event where corporate directors, executives and leading experts gathered for candid, Chatham House Rule-style discussions on today’s challenges and the future of corporate governance.

Top Board Governance Trends for 2026: Active, Data‑Driven Oversight

Across sessions, a clear throughline emerged: the most effective boards are shifting from passive oversight to active, data-driven governance with disciplined processes and human judgment at the center. Here’s what our expert speakers and experienced director attendees had to say about the trends to watch in 2026:

From passive to active GRC, augmented by AI

Active GRC is replacing passive oversight as directors confront increasing risk and low confidence in near-term conditions. 

Speakers urged leaders to augment teams with AI agent

s to handle foundational tasks and “ask the next question,” freeing capacity for strategy amid resource constraints. The shift isn’t about automation for the sake of it; it’s about using technology to strengthen discipline, improve foresight and increase resiliency in governance processes.

AI governance: Measure what people actually do

The biggest AI risk isn’t only technical, it’s invisible usage

. Effective AI governance should incorporate real usage metrics

, not just periodic sentiment surveys, so boards and management can see where tools are actively embedded in work and where shadow adoption may be creating risk. Pair cultural encouragement (safe experimentation and knowledge sharing) with “lighthouse” projects that prove measurable value, building confidence while establishing standards that scale.

Culture oversight is expanding and needs better data

Board oversight of culture has outgrown legacy tools as public trust shifts towards employers and brands, and employees increasingly make choices based on societal values. Activism is rising, yet many boards still haven’t addressed company stances on social issues. Leaders discussed responsibly tapping a broader range of anonymized, unstructured data, such as employee intranet messages and chat activity, to surface actionable insights, while ensuring that individual employees aren’t singled out or penalized for raising concerns.

Board Priorities and Next Steps for 2026 and Beyond

The year ahead will reward boards that turn judgement into action: clear crisis protocols, richer data streams on people and culture, pragmatic compensation strategies, and stepwise AI adoption grounded in how employees actually use it. The common denominator is disciplined curiosity. The best directors will ask sharper questions, measure what matters and adapt faster.

If these insights resonate with your board or leadership team, start with a structured review of your speak-up mechanisms, succession playbooks, culture data sources and AI governance metrics to ensure they match today’s pace of change. Then, pick one “lighthouse” initiative to prove value within the next two quarters — and use what you learn to scale.

 to dive deeper and benchmark your board’s readiness for 2026 and beyond.

Ten insights shaping boards in the year ahead

Boards entered 2025 facing rising risk, economic volatility, and an urgent mandate to modernize oversight. At Diligent, we recently hosted the Elevate Leadership Summit, a by‑invitation gathering of corporate directors and executives alongside a curated set of experts, for confidential, Chatham House Rule-style discussions to dissect these issues and look to the future of corporate governance.

Across sessions, a clear through‑line emerged: the most effective boards are shifting from moving from passive oversight to active, data‑driven governance with disciplined processes and human judgment at the center. Here’s what our expert speakers and experienced director attendees had to say about the trends to watch out for in 2026:

1) From passive to active GRC—augmented by AI

Active GRC is replacing passive oversight as directors confront increasing risk and low confidence in near‑term conditions. Speakers suggested augmenting teams with AI agents to handle foundational tasks and “ask the next question,” freeing leaders to focus on strategy amid resource constraints.

2) AI governance: Measure what people actually do 

The biggest AI risk isn’t only technical, it’s invisible usage. AI governance should incorporate real usage metrics, not just periodic sentiment surveys, and pair cultural encouragement (safe experimentation and knowledge‑sharing) with “lighthouse” projects that prove measurable value to employees and shareholders.

3) Culture oversight is expanding and needs better data

Board oversight of culture has outgrown legacy tools. Public trust continues to concentrate on employers and brands, and employees increasingly make choices based on societal beliefs. Activism is rising, and many boards still haven’t discussed company stances on social issues. Our speakers discussed the possibility of utilizing a broader range of anonymized unstructured data - such as employee intranet messages and chat data - into decisio useful insights, while ensuring individual employees aren’t being singled out or retaliated against for escalating concerns.

4) AI literacy and security remain non‑negotiable

Boards need AI literacy and strong cyber foundations; there’s no leapfrogging weak security into trustworthy AI. Keep a human in the loop, test for bias systematically (using available benchmarks), and consider experimenting with smaller models and improved licensing terms where they fit the use case and data‑governance needs.

Early red flags require pre‑defined protocols, not improvisation. The first 72 hours following a crisis event should trigger escalation playbooks, evidence preservation (including email freezes), independent counsel where appropriate, and non‑retaliation toward whistleblowers, all paired with board‑level visibility and documented independence.

Continuous monitoring (increasingly AI‑enabled) can surface fraud risk indicators earlier, narrowing the expectation gap around what audit and compliance actually do.

6) Speak‑up culture is a strategic asset

A speak‑up culture with higher hotline usage is a positive signal, but only if organizations close the loop, protect anonymity, and report metrics to the board. Leaders should be encouraged to normalize and celebrate reporting, which reduces fear and builds trust across the enterprise.

7) Board-executive dynamics are shifting under scrutiny

Executives are pushing for director refreshment, and more of them see boards overstepping compared to last year. Meanwhile, CEO turnover is up, with most U.S. departures described as unplanned. These themes raise the premium on preparedness, role clarity, and disciplined engagement between boards and management.

8) Succession planning must be continuous and robust 

Effective succession planning should be continuous and discussed at every meeting, with directors knowing the pipeline at least one level down and preparing for unexpected transitions – including mission-critical roles beyond the CEO.

The board chair’s (or independent lead director’s) role in tone‑setting and inclusion is pivotal. Boards can benefit greatly from periodic third‑party evaluations to raise effectiveness.

9) Executive compensation is evolving amid volatility

Executive compensation committees are recalibrating discretion, which allows boards to award compensation based not only on results, but qualitative assessment. COVID‑era lessons showed shareholders tolerate discretion in executive compensation when the rationale is strong and disclosure is clear.

Executive security as part of the compensation package is rising as a governance and risk issue; Policy and regulatory discussions happening at the SEC point to potentially simpler disclosures as early as the 2027 proxy season, while state‑level rules are reshaping proxy‑advisor practices.

10) Better questions and diverse composition strengthen oversight

Directors who ask, “What do I need to understand?” and “Do I have all the information?” sharpen risk oversight. Building formal and informal trusted channels with audit and compliance leaders can improve signal quality, while targeted training helps boards recognize fraud indicators. Evidence that boards with a broader range of perspectives are more effective highlights the value of having a well-balanced and diverse composition.

The year ahead will reward boards that operationalize judgment: clear protocols for crises, richer data streams on people and culture, pragmatic approaches to compensation, and step‑wise AI adoption that starts with the reality of how employees are using it. The common denominator is disciplined curiosity. The best directors will ask better questions, measure what matters, and adapt faster.

If these insights resonate with your board or leadership team, consider a structured review of your speak‑up mechanisms, succession playbooks, culture data sources, and AI governance metrics to ensure they’re meeting today’s pace of change. Then, pick one “lighthouse” initiative to prove value within the next two quarters and use the learning to scale.

Note: The Elevate Leadership Summit is an annual, by‑invitation gathering of corporate directors and CEOs, alongside a curated set of experts, for confidential, Chatham House Rule-style panel discussions.

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How to get the most out of your next professional government conference

Enterprise security risk management (ESRM): A strategic framework for board oversight

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