timely disclosures investors need to permit them to assess the financial and business soundness and risks of the corporation.Fourth, it is the responsibility of the board and its audit committee to engage an independent accounting firm to audit the financial statements prepared by management and to issue an opinion on those statements based on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. The board, its audit committee and management must be vigilant to ensure that no actions are taken by the corporation or its employees that compromise the
independence of the outside auditor. Fifth, it is the responsibility of the independent accounting firm
to ensure that it is in fact independent, is without conflicts of interest, employs highly competent staff, and carries out its
work in accordance with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards. It is also the responsibility of the independent
accounting firm to inform the board, through the audit committee, of any concerns the auditor may have about the
appropriateness or quality of significant accounting treatments,business transactions that affect the fair presentation of the
corporation's financial condition and results of operations, and weaknesses in internal control systems. The auditor should do so in a forthright manner and on a timely basis, whether or not management has also communicated to the board or the audit committee on these matters. Sixth, the corporation has a responsibility to deal with its employees in a fair and equitable manner.These responsibilities, and others, are critical to the functioning of the modern public corporation and the integrity of the public markets. No law or regulation alone can be a substitute for the