Conferences and events give your leadership and board members opportunities to share resources and network, as well as learn about best practices, industry trends and innovations. They also offer opportunities to connect with peers and identify potential partners.

This year brings a variety of interesting and useful events for public education and state and local government organizations. We've put together this handy list of key events we think board members and leaders should have on their radar this year.

Why members of public boards should attend events

Board members of public boards benefit personally and professionally by attending professional learning events. Here are just some of the benefits of attending at least one event this year:

Conferences and special events provide good networking opportunities. Board members can meet with their own colleagues, other leaders and thought leaders. The knowledge board members gain at events will help them be better leaders and better people.

Collaborative efforts often amplify impact. Large or small events are also good places to find new vendors and potential partners.

Workshops, seminars, and panel discussions offer board members a wealth of information to take back to the board, including best practices, innovations, and tips for overcoming challenges.

At events, board members can learn about emerging trends and potential opportunities within the sector. This new knowledge will keep them ahead of the curve when it comes to regulatory changes and societal shifts.

Certain events may focus on policy and advocacy, which may help board members better navigate regulatory challenges. Attendees may also be able to share their perspectives and get feedback from their peers.

Conferences can often highlight how best to encourage community engagement. Board members can gather new ideas on how to engage with their communities and address their unique needs.

Celebration of achievements: Events in the sector often celebrate the achievements and positive impact of organizations. Attending such events allows board members to witness success stories and walk away feeling motivated and inspired.

Month-by-month calendar of professional development events for 2026

, held in Milwaukee, is a statewide gathering bringing together school board members, superintendents, and district leaders for immersive professional development. Participants explore best practices in governance, policy oversight, and supporting student achievement. Attendees also hear from education voices on legislative trends affecting Wisconsin schools. Be sure to visit us at our booth to connect and learn how Diligent Community can help transform your school board governance.

IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference

 will take place in Chicago, IL. It is a leading park and recreation conference convenes commissioners, municipal leaders, and public sector professionals for hands-on learning. Sessions highlight community engagement, recreation management, and operational excellence. The event also features networking and exposure to innovative solutions impacting parks and municipalities. Visit us at our booth to connect and learn how Diligent Community can help transform your school board governance.

The West Virginia School Boards Association Winter Conference

  offers sessions on governance, education policy, and best practices for addressing the unique challenges facing West Virginia schools. 

 in Nashville, TN, is an opportunity for superintendents and district executives to gather for a forward-looking exploration of K–12 leadership challenges and opportunities. Workshops highlight instructional innovation, policy shifts, and the evolving role of district leadership. Attendees can also engage deeply with peers to share approaches that support system-wide student success. Be sure to visit us at our booth to connect and learn how Diligent Community can help transform your school board governance.

Colorado League of Charter Schools Annual Conference

 will take place in Denver, CO. Charter leaders, board members, and educators come together for a comprehensive program centered on governance and operational effectiveness. Sessions cover academic accountability, funding considerations, and legal compliance. The conference fosters collaboration across Colorado’s charter community to strengthen school performance. Visit us at our booth to connect and learn how Diligent Community can help transform your school board governance.

 will be in Louisville, KY, this year. School board members from across the country convene to dive into governance fundamentals and emerging policy issues. The program emphasizes board leadership, superintendent relations, and legislative advocacy. Attendees also benefit from networking and learning from other states’ innovative governance practices. Be sure to visit us at our booth to connect and learn how Diligent Community can help transform your school board governance.

Washington Municipal Clerks’ Association Annual Conference

 connects municipal clerks in various local governments within the state of Washington through 3 days of professional education, networking and impact recognition. 

Louisiana School Board Association Annual Convention

 is for elected school board members and other public education stakeholders in Louisiana. The convention features breakout sessions and special interest clinics. Those who want to attend may register by contacting their school board secretary.

2026 Small School District Association State Conference

 will be held in Sacramento, California. It is open to all educators and school board members, focusing on small district issues in the state. 

National School Board Association 2025 Annual Conference and Exposition 

is the nation’s biggest school board conference. This year's conference takes place in San Antonio, TX, bringing together thousands of school board members and superintendents. Sessions explore legal updates, board governance strategies, and policies shaping the future of public education. We invite you to visit our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can support your school board's governance needs.

The American Association of Community Colleges Annual Convention

 will be held in Seattle, WA. Community college leaders and trustees come together to address institutional strategy, enrollment trends, and workforce partnerships. Workshops highlight practical approaches for strengthening student pathways and institutional sustainability. The event offers deep engagement with peers navigating similar challenges across two-year institutions. Visit our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can support your college board's governance needs.

 taking in place in Dana Point, CA is a retreat-style program providing trustees with immersive training in governance, fiscal responsibility, and strategic planning. Attendees learn from statewide leaders about policy changes affecting California community colleges. The conference also offers opportunities to strengthen board–administration alignment.

The International Institute Municipal Clerks (IIMC) Annual Conference

 is being held this year in Reno, NV. This conference is open to municipal clerks in Canada and the U.S. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in networking events, explore an extensive exhibit hall, and engage in discussions aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of municipal operations. We invite you to visit our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can support your municipality's governance needs.

The Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) Annual Conference

 will be held in Huntsville, ON. Municipal professionals participate in workshops that deepen expertise in governance, finance, and legislative operations. The event highlights Canadian public sector innovations and evolving expectations of municipal service delivery. Attendees gain practical tools for strengthening operational effectiveness in their communities. Stop by our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can support your municipality's governance needs.

 in Tampa, FL will offer Florida school board members the chance to gather for multi-day leadership development focused on governance excellence and statewide policy updates. Sessions emphasize collaboration with district leadership teams and navigating legislative changes. The event prepares attendees for strategic decision-making ahead of the new school year.

The Maryland Municipal League (MML) Summer Conference

, held at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Maryland, is the premier event for municipal officials and staff across the state. The conference features engaging workshops, keynote presentations, and networking opportunities focused on best practices in municipal governance and administration. Be sure to visit our booth to connect with our team and explore how Diligent Community can help your municipality enhance efficiency and transparency.

Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association Annual Education Conference

 in Green Bay this year will be filled with education and recognition, ideal for anyone in administration of local government e.g. city, town or village clerk, deputy clerk or any official having similar duties.

2026 Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference

 takes place this year in Chicago, IL.  Municipal leaders gather to explore urban development, public finance, and state legislative issues affecting Illinois communities. The agenda includes expert-led workshops and opportunities for peer-to-peer learning. The event supports city officials in navigating evolving governance responsibilities. Visit our booth to connect with our team and explore how Diligent Community can help your municipality enhance efficiency and transparency.

 in Indianapolis is Indiana’s premier training opportunity for school board members, superintendents and administrators. Hear from inspirational school advocates, learn about products and services, and share best practices to "pursue excellent outcomes for all children”. It’s a great opportunity to collaborate and network with school officials from across the state. Stop by our booth to connect with our team and explore how Diligent Community can help your district team enhance efficiency and transparency.

 takes place in Pittsburgh, PA. School business officials engage in advanced learning on budgeting, risk mitigation and financial planning. Workshops deliver practical strategies for strengthening district operations and maintaining fiscal health. This year's theme is 

Ignite: Powering Innovation, Shaping Tomorrow. 

Be sure to visit our booth to connect with our team and explore how Diligent Community can help your school district enhance efficiency and transparency.

 The Michigan Association of School Boards 

 will be held in Lansing, MI, offering access to training that can benefit individual board members and their school districts. Research indicates that boards with high expectations, united teamwork with the superintendent, good understanding of data, and a focus on team development and knowledge building often govern districts with high student achievement. Visit our booth and connect with our team to learn how Diligent Community can support your board's goals for transparency and efficiency.

 The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators (PASA) and Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) host a joint, multiday conference for school leaders from across the commonwealth. This year's 

 will be held at the Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in the Poconos. This conference features dynamic keynote presentations, informative sessions, and networking opportunities, all focused on advancing school governance and leadership. Come meet our team to learn how Diligent Community can support your board's goals for transparency and efficiency.

Maryland Association of Boards of Education Annual Conference

, taking place in Annapolis this year, is Maryland’s leading event for local board of education members and district leaders. It offers a program featuring keynote presentations on timely educational themes, interactive workshops and legal updates. Attendees also benefit from breakout sessions along with networking opportunities and policy-focused panels designed to strengthen board leadership and strategic planning. We invite you to visit our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can support your school board's governance needs.

The New Jersey School Boards Association's (NJSBA) 

, will be held at the Atlantic City Convention Center, and is the premier event for New Jersey's education leaders. This conference offers a dynamic mix of insights, strategies, and collaborative opportunities, all geared to help you navigate the evolving landscape of education. We invite you to visit our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can enhance your board's governance and efficiency.

Council of the Great City Schools Fall Conference

 will take place in Boston, MA. Urban district leaders meet to address academic performance, operational efficiency, and equity challenges unique to large systems. The event features national thought leaders discussing reforms and evidence-based strategies. Participants collaborate on shared priorities impacting major U.S. city districts. Stop by our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can enhance your board's governance and efficiency.

The 2025 New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) 

 will be held in New York City. This premier event brings together education leaders from across the state to engage in professional development, share best practices, and explore innovative solutions in school governance and student achievement. We invite you to visit our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can enhance your board's governance and efficiency.

2025 Missouri School Board Association Annual Conference

 will be held in Kansas City. It offers programs for public school leaders, board members, superintendents, and supportive administrative roles responsible for meeting the educational needs of all public-school children.

 will be held in Coeur d’Alene. It is a valuable learning opportunity for boards, superintendents, clerks, and business managers. The ISBA Business Session provides school boards with the opportunity to vote on policy issues that will comprise ISBA’s legislative platform for the upcoming year.

 will be held in San Antonio, TX this year offering local government leaders training on municipal operations, budgeting, and infrastructure planning. The agenda includes legal updates, leadership development and community-focused strategies. Attendees can also connect with partners providing solutions for growing municipalities. Visit our booth to connect with our team and explore how Diligent Community can help your municipality enhance efficiency and transparency.

The Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) 

 will be held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. This premier event offers exceptional opportunities for learning, sharing, and networking. Stop by our booth to explore how Diligent Community can support your board’s governance goals and meet the challenges of today’s education landscape.

 is the premier event for Virginia school board members with sessions focused on governance, advocacy and student-centered leadership. Workshops offer practical tools for navigating policy changes and community expectations. The event also recognizes outstanding school division initiatives. Be sure to visit our booth to connect with our team and explore how Diligent Community can help your school board enhance efficiency and transparency.

 Community College League of California Annual Convention

 will be held in Riverside, CA. California community college trustees and CEOs gather to explore system-wide policy, accreditation issues and governance challenges. Sessions support collaborative planning and mission-driven leadership. We invite you to visit our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can enhance your college's governance and efficiency.

 WSSDA Annual Convention for 2026 will be held in Spokane, WA, with governance workshops, leadership development sessions and statewide policy discussions. The conference helps boards strengthen superintendent partnerships and address key education issues. Visit our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can enhance your district's governance and efficiency.

 The Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) 

 will be held in Chicago. This event brings together school board members, administrators, and education leaders from across the state to engage in professional development, share best practices, and explore innovative solutions in school governance and student achievement. We encourage you to stop by our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can enhance your board's governance and efficiency.

The Florida School Boards Association (FSBA) and Florida Association of District School Superintendents (FADSS) 

 brings together school board members, superintendents, district staff and education leaders to network, gain insights into current educational issues and access valuable professional development opportunities. We invite you to visit our booth to connect with our team and discover how Diligent Community can enhance your board's governance and efficiency.

The New Mexico School Boards Association 

 will take place in Albuquerque. The convention begins with newly elected board member training as well as veteran board member training. There will be keynote speakers, breakout sessions as well as the Annual Recognition Awards Luncheon and the Annual Delegate Assembly to adopt legislative priorities and elect state officers.

Dates to be confirmed for December 2026: 

CASB Annual Convention Colorado is the key event for school board members with in-depth governance training, legislative previews and district innovation showcases. Learn from state leaders and connect with peers navigating similar challenges. Visit our booth to connect with our team and find out how Diligent Community can help your boards’ capacity to support student success.

 offers school board members and superintendents from across Arizona the chance to explore policy, leadership and community engagement strategies. Sessions offer insights into statewide legislative developments and district governance practices. The conference promotes collaboration between board and administrative leadership teams. Stop by our booth to meet our team and find out how Diligent Community can support governance for your school board.

Leverage technology for conference and event attendance

Look through the events listed above and decide which ones will benefit your organization, then set notifications for registration dates in your calendar so you can be sure your board doesn't miss out.

Once your board member has attended, encourage them to share what they learned at the next board or committee meeting and store key documents and notes they brought back in your document library.

 can help your public board increase efficiency, improve workflows and ensure your board members make the most of opportunities such as conventions and conferences.

The best events for publicly elected boards to attend this year

Preparing for an IPO is an exciting time for any company. Not only does your personal net worth stand to skyrocket, but the business you worked so hard to build will join a chosen few, making headlines and earning its own ticker on the public markets.

Yet as visions of Bloomberg interviews and vested stock options dance in your head, it's more important than ever to mind the basics. This includes essential corporate governance frameworks and best practices. The path from startup to public company demands governance infrastructure that demonstrates operational maturity to institutional investors and regulatory bodies.

, only 42% of boards are actively engaged in shaping transaction strategy. This represents a significant readiness gap, particularly as economic headwinds and regulatory complexity intensify.

Building IPO-ready governance 12-18 months before your S-1 submission positions your company for success when market windows open. With that in mind, this comprehensive guide will help you 

What preparing for an IPO means and how governance readiness affects valuation

Essential governance structures, including board composition, committee requirements and executive leadership

SEC registration, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and disclosure requirements

A complete IPO governance readiness checklist with timeline guidance

How AI-powered governance technology accelerates IPO preparation

Preparing for an IPO means building the governance infrastructure, regulatory compliance frameworks and operational controls that public market investors require. This preparation typically begins 12-18 months before S-1 filing and addresses everything from board composition to disclosure controls.

Unlike private company governance, IPO preparation requires satisfying institutional investors, regulatory bodies and public shareholders — all with different expectations. Getting these details right can increase your initial offering price, as investors share confidence in your company's governance sophistication.

Why governance readiness matters for IPO success

Governance gaps discovered during due diligence create the delays and valuation discounts that derail IPO timelines. Companies with weak board structures, incomplete internal controls or underdeveloped risk management face extended S-1 review cycles.

On the other hand, professional governance infrastructure signals operational maturity that supports higher valuations and faster preparation timelines.

"Economic turbulence has put CFOs at the center of the conversation, forcing them to be translators of risk and architects of optionality,” says Nick Araco, CEO of CFO Alliance. “CFOs tell us they are not just slowing deals but actively using this environment to strengthen governance, stress-test assumptions and ensure their organizations will be ready to move quickly when conditions improve."

What governance structures should companies have before going public?

Going public requires a team of legal, financial and regulatory advisors to manage extensive requirements. The structures you put in place signal governance sophistication to institutional investors and establish the oversight framework for public company operations.

In today's business environment with heightened risk and shareholder activism, regulators and investors first examine the board of directors. This group provides strategic oversight and 

 — responsibilities that intensify dramatically for public companies.

Consider the following when building your IPO-ready board:

Directors should represent diverse backgrounds and viewpoints:

 For many pre-IPO companies, this means expanding beyond the leadership team that brought the company to this point.

Board expertise should reflect current challenges:

 Across industries, this includes cybersecurity, sustainability and AI governance. According to the 

, 58% of public company boards now have at least one director with cybersecurity experience.

 In other words, not an employee of the company, like a CEO or CFO. This ensures objectivity and impartiality in oversight and decision-making.

 At least one director should have prior experience with public company audit and capital markets requirements.

For a public company, board committees aren't just a handy way to delegate. Many are required by law, and regulations like the 

 may require a certain proportion of independent directors in their membership.

There are three committees every public board must have:

 oversees financial reporting independent of management. At least one member must qualify as a financial expert under SEC rules.

 manages the executive remuneration structure and administration, ensuring alignment with the company's performance and shareholder expectations.

 (often called "nom/gov") handles new director recruitment, board effectiveness assessments and succession planning.

To the people and institutions investing in a public company and the regulators overseeing it, the people at the top matter a great deal.

Among the CEO's responsibilities are overseeing company expansion, driving profitability and improving share prices, while the CFO manages activities from cash flow and financial planning to compliance and reporting. Make sure that responsibilities are clearly defined for these two critical roles, and that the people holding them have the expertise and skills needed for a public company.

As with the board, it's important to have a 

 for key executives. This builds trust that the company will be well-positioned to obtain top talent and maintain institutional knowledge, and that shareholders will be unaffected by changes in leadership.

 to lead corporate response on legal issues, along with a 

 to ensure that the board has the resources to fulfill its fiduciary duties. In many companies, and especially as board oversight involves an evolving range of regulatory and legal frameworks, these two roles are combined and held by the same person.

What best practices will shareholders and stakeholders expect?

Beyond qualified leadership and committee structures, today's shareholders and regulators expect governance best practices that demonstrate institutional maturity:

: accountability; transparency; ethical behavior; and respect for stakeholder interests, the rule of law, international norms of behavior and human rights.

 that encourage open communication and enable internal problem resolution

 and business judgment rule awareness to ensure comprehensive risk oversight

 to ensure directors remain current on governance practices and industry developments

"Being on a board is about realism and not perfection. Many directors are afraid to say when they don't know something—and this needs to change. Lean into perpetual learning for teams, directors and executives." — Anastassia Lauterbach, Board Director

What IPO requirements and regulations must companies comply with?

The examples and guidelines below reflect requirements for companies going public on U.S. stock exchanges.

Please keep in mind that this is not an exclusive list, and if your company is going public outside the U.S., you'll need to be familiar with the applicable rules and regulations for those exchanges and jurisdictions.

One of the first steps a U.S. company must undertake before going public is filing an S-1 

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

. Be sure to plan ahead and allocate adequate staffing and time for this task; you'll be required to provide detailed information about your company, including its financials, management and operations.

Financial reporting and internal controls

Public company status brings intensive financial reporting expectations. You'll prepare and disclose audited financial statements conforming to 

 (GAAP). Shareholders expect comprehensive visibility into financial condition and performance.

 can help ensure your financial reporting is accurate, up to date, auditable, and always ready to surface for the board and relevant committees.

While you add more disclosures and reports to your to-do list, you'll also need to know the rules about when to stay quiet.

To prevent unfair promotion or market manipulation during the time leading up to a public offering, pre-IPO companies must strictly limit statements and the release of information about their company from the time they file the IPO until 40 days after the stock starts trading.

Information and events are considered "material" when they could affect your company's financial condition or stock price. They include both positive and negative developments, and your company, as a publicly traded entity, must be prepared to disclose them in a timely manner.

When companies like yours go public on a stock exchange, an underwriting group (often an investment bank) acts as an intermediary. The underwriting agreement outlines the details of this arrangement and the terms and conditions of the IPO, including:

In a publicly traded company, certain stockholders are entitled by law to vote on issues impacting company performance, such as mergers and acquisitions, dividend payouts, new securities and elections of new directors.

You'll need to familiarize yourself with these shareholder voting rights, as well as mechanisms like proxy solicitations, where shareholders request an authorized party to vote on their behalf.

As a public company, you'll need to be conversant in and compliant with rules and reporting requirements related to 

This may include employee education and trading restrictions, an in-house "watchdog," or specialized technology for monitoring operations, flagging potential issues and responding appropriately.

The paperwork doesn't end after your company goes public. Investors and the SEC will expect regular disclosures. Make sure your systems and staffing are equipped to file a Form 10-K each year, Form 10-Q each quarter, and Form 8-K documentation to disclose any material events.

In the United States, the SEC requires publicly traded companies to file 

 before annual and special meetings. This is so shareholders can make informed votes in areas like new director elections, executive compensation and mergers and acquisitions.

A proxy statement can also be a powerful governance tool. Especially when combined with a 

, preparation of these detailed documents can help you identify emerging risks early and prepare for activism or other shareholder pressures.

Going public on a U.S. stock exchange requires 

. This legislation contains stringent requirements for financial reporting, internal control assessments and whistleblower protections.

 CEOs and CFOs must personally certify financial statement accuracy and disclosure control effectiveness

 Annual internal control assessment and external auditor attestation (with Emerging Growth Company exemptions)

 Comprehensive financial disclosures, including off-balance-sheet arrangements

It's a lot to oversee, so you may want to consider 

 to make it easier to get contextualized data and customizable reports from your audit teams.

Another act you'll need to familiarize yourself with, along with the terms "pay for performance" and "say on pay," is 

Provisions within this act require your company to justify its executive compensation, in great detail, before each shareholder meeting.

This can be a highly involved activity consisting of extensive peer and market research, detailed benchmarking, and a specific format, table and metrics to follow for reporting. 

 can help you stay ahead of compensation-related scrutiny and ensure compliance with Dodd-Frank.

One essential area when preparing for an IPO: the listing requirements of the stock exchange where your company's shares will be traded. There may be specific criteria for your company to meet in terms of share price, market capitalization and so forth.

Regulation FD (the SEC's fair disclosure rule)

 prohibits the selective release of information to investment professionals and analysts. In both formal and informal communications, material information about your company must be shared with all investors at the same time.

From a governance standpoint, this means your company will need rigorous compliance and monitoring programs and guidance for key personnel, initiatives your board will need to oversee

Once you've gotten up to speed on federal regulations for compliance, monitoring and disclosures, it's time to drill down further to see what's required at the state, regional and provincial levels.

Will you need to register to sell shares in a specific state? What kind of anti-fraud laws do you need to be aware of?

If your company crosses numerous jurisdictions or has a structure that is particularly complex, specialized 

Anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations

, can also help you keep on top of another complicated and important compliance area: AML and KYC.

It's an investment you might want to consider well before your IPO.

Behind these deceptively simple acronyms lurk a host of regulations related to sanctions lists, fraud, bribery, corruption and more, heightening investor scrutiny in areas like vendor management.

Cybersecurity risk management, strategy, governance, and incident disclosure (SEC)

adopted enhanced cybersecurity disclosure requirements in July 2023

, which fundamentally changed the compliance landscape for public companies.

Preparing for an IPO: Governance essentials for going public

Legal and compliance chiefs are rating the level of risk in the current business environment at 7.9 out of 10, where 1 is Negligible and 10 is Significant. This marks a 16 percent increase from Q1 levels, though the figure has remained relatively flat since Q3—suggesting the risk escalation may be stabilizing.

While the new year often brings a renewed sense of optimism and a resetting of the slate, legal and compliance leaders are ending 2025 with persistent concerns about the risk landscape: The overall sentiment among the general counsel, audit, legal and compliance leaders participating in the Q4 Business Risk Index, conducted by Diligent Institute and Corporate Board Member, points to compounding pressures across economic, regulatory and political realms creating a precarious environment for business.

“These elements are directly related,” said one respondent. “As one risk escalates, the others do, too.”

“In 2025, risk levels didn’t just spike, they settled into an ‘alwayson’ baseline,” says Dottie Schindlinger, Executive Director of the Diligent Institute. “In a world where significantly high risk levels are constant, the GC’s agenda may become increasingly defined by AI and broader tech exposure. 

, predicting heightened regulatory tracking, audits and policy reviews in 2026.”

The most striking finding from the survey is the dominance of technology-related concerns. Sixty percent of respondents cited technology as a risk today, well ahead of any other issue, including the economy (33 percent) and tariffs (23 percent). Legal, compliance and audit leaders view increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks as a primary threat vector.

“Cyber threats and supply chain instability continue to create pressure, particularly for tech and services companies that depend on stable, secure environments,” said Taras Lytovchenko, chief legal and compliance officer at Trinitex.

“From an IT business perspective, the regulatory uncertainty is the biggest factor, especially around data protection, AI governance and cross-border compliance,” added another respondent. “On top of that, cyber threats and supply-chain instability continue to create pressure.”

“Technology risk is now the connective tissue across the entire risk register,” says Kira Ciccarelli, Senior Manager of Research at the Diligent Institute. “We know that 

boards too are experimenting with new tech like AI tools

 to enhance oversight, yet relatively few organizations are leveraging AI powered dashboards for risk monitoring. Closing that execution gap will separate leaders from laggards.”

While those polled expect most risks to lessen as businesses get more clarity around issues such as trade, regulations and the economy, AI-related risks are the notable exception. The majority continue to cite it as a top risk for their organization in 2026, well ahead of the economy (23 percent) and regulations (19 percent). 

When asked which key risk indicators (KRIs) they were monitoring closely into the new year, market conditions ranked first, with 33 percent of votes, followed by cyber alerts (27 percent).

Budget constraints despite rising threats

A concerning disconnect emerged in the survey: despite increasing risks and reported vulnerabilities in cross-function coordination, a full third of respondents said their organizations were reducing or keeping risk management operational budgets flat in 2026.

“Cost cutting focus is increasing our risk across the globe,” said one respondent sounding the alarm.

Others flagged a potential lack of awareness to growing intrinsic risks: “My concerns are potentially developing risk mitigation gaps due to role/employee changes and perceived cultural shifts leading to accepting more risk when it is not prudent. Employee morale is also low and can lead to apathy and lack of concentration needed to perform risk mitigation at a high level.”

For organizations that are expected to receive budget increases, the most common investments are in regulatory tracking and monitoring technology (26 percent) or data privacy and cyber defenses (23 percent).

When asked what they would improve if given a chance, cross-function coordination took the top spot, with 44 percent of the votes. 

“We are large company and have many opportunities to be even better than we are now,” said one respondent. “My thought is to create less-siloed systems and activities that would allow high-level views to see trends and allow for more in-depth review for continuous improvement.”

“I would prioritize stronger, faster visibility into external regulatory changes, especially shifts in trade policy, tariffs and cross-border rules that affect IT outsourcing,” said another. “We need a smoother way to detect these changes early, assess their impact and adjust our delivery model before clients feel the pressure.”

“Cross functional coordination is key for operating in a world where top risks are interdependent and self amplifying; where geopolitical, regulatory and technology currents shift together,” says Ciccarelli. “And yet, governance, risk and compliance integration remains a major execution gap.”

 found that only 4 percent of governance professionals say their GRC and financial systems are fully integrated, which can keep risk data trapped in silos. “In an ideal future state, GRC systems should flow in a single stream so that one trigger, whether a cyber alert, a tariff change or an AI policy shift, automatically informs the others,” notes Schindlinger.

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The best events for publicly elected boards to attend this year

Preparing for an IPO: Governance essentials for going public

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