Outsourced SOX Compliance

A Strategic Approach to SOX Compliance

Since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was enacted, Weaver has helped organizations develop, implement and maintain SOX compliance programs. Our scalable and cost-effective approach supports compliance at every stage, from readiness assessments before an IPO to required controls documentation, controls testing and ongoing monitoring. Supported by technology-enabled delivery through platforms such as Fieldguide, our teams can efficiently manage testing, documentation and stakeholder coordination while maintaining a focus on quality and compliance. Throughout our collaboration, we focus not only on compliance, but also on overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Rather than a check-the-box exercise, we approach SOX compliance as an opportunity to improve the internal control structure of your organization. Developing a robust program complies with regulatory requirements and offers peace of mind that operating policies are being followed. It provides a structured approach to monitoring and strengthens overall corporate governance.

Weaver supports SOX compliance programs across their full lifecycle, including:

• SOX readiness and implementation for companies preparing to go public or formalizing internal controls
• Risk assessment and scoping aligned to business processes, financial reporting risks and materiality
• Controls documentation and walkthroughs across entity‑level, process‑level (including IT automated controls) and IT‑dependent controls
• SOX testing and ongoing monitoring designed to support sustainable, repeatable compliance
• Deficiency evaluation and remediation support, including analysis of severity, compensating controls and impact
• Integrated audit and external auditor coordination to improve efficiency and optimize reliance
• Outsourced or cosourced SOX program management to supplement internal audit, finance, IT or compliance teams
• Reporting to executive management and the Audit Committee to provide status updates

Complying with SOX includes documenting how technology risks and controls support financial reporting processes. When management requires assistance in their internal assessment, our professionals can serve management in an outsourced provider capacity, or co-source with an existing compliance function, such as the internal audit department.

Our goal is to ensure that IT general control (ITGCs) processes are in place to support the accurate and complete recording and transmission of financial data. ITGCs encompass processes over security administration (logical and physical access), change management and computer operations that includes SOC Report reviews, interface/job monitoring, backup and recovery.

We take a collaborative effort on system scoping and how much a system is used in the financial reporting processes and whether ITGCs are needed or whether sufficient manual process controls provide coverage over the data.

If there are any major implementations or upgrades, we can support pre-implementation support through discussions on the implementation controls for an on-premise or SaaS application, while identifying what future state ITGCs will be set up as. At post implementation, we can perform the relevant implementation controls testing to document the coverage of “what could go wrong” on the implementation and how the project controls were executed for SOX testing.

With decades of SOX-related experience, Weaver has developed a scalable and cost-effective approach designed to support your compliance at every stage, from initial program implementation to system implementation reviews to ongoing remediation and monitoring. Our teams maintain a focus on overall efficiency and effectiveness.

What is SOX compliance?

SOX compliance refers to the controls, processes and documentation organizations use to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and support accurate financial reporting. Weaver’s SOX compliance services help companies build scalable compliance programs that strengthen internal controls while meeting regulatory requirements.

When should a company begin preparing for SOX compliance?

Companies should begin preparing for SOX compliance well before an IPO or other significant growth event. Weaver works with organizations to assess readiness, identify gaps and establish sustainable compliance practices early in the process.

Who benefits from outsourced SOX compliance?

Organizations of all sizes can benefit from outsourced or cosourced SOX support, particularly those experiencing growth, resource constraints or increasing compliance demands. Weaver tailors its approach to each organization’s needs, helping improve efficiency while strengthening documentation and testing.

Is outsourcing SOX compliance cost-effective?

For many organizations, outsourcing or cosourcing SOX activities can be more cost-effective than maintaining a fully dedicated internal compliance team. Weaver provides flexible support models that align with your resources, risk profile and compliance objectives.

Can SOX testing and documentation be outsourced?

Yes. Organizations commonly outsource activities such as controls documentation, walkthroughs, testing, reporting and ongoing monitoring while retaining ownership of the control environment. Weaver provides scalable support tailored to each company’s compliance needs.

Can Weaver work with our existing internal audit or compliance team?

Yes. Weaver frequently co-sources with internal audit, compliance and finance teams to augment resources and support key compliance activities. Our collaborative approach helps promote consistency in methodology, documentation and reporting.

How does Weaver interact with our external auditors?

Our teams collaborate closely with external auditors to align expectations, support reliance opportunities and reduce duplicative effort. This coordination can help streamline testing and reporting activities while improving efficiency for management.

How do IT systems factor into SOX compliance?

SOX requires organizations to demonstrate how their technology environment supports accurate financial reporting. Weaver evaluates IT general controls (ITGCs), system related control dependencies and data integrity considerations to ensure systems align with your broader compliance objectives.

Does outsourcing SOX replace management responsibilities?

No. Management retains ownership of the internal control environment. Our role is to support management by providing documentation, testing, coordination and analysis that strengthen oversight and improve the efficiency of control execution.