QCG Knowledge Hub

Compliance & Governance Glossary

Plain-language definitions of legal, finance, audit, ESG, HR and digital terms — built for founders, boards, and compliance teams.

Quick facts100+ curated termsCross-domain coverage

A. Compliance & Governance

Terms that define how organisations build and maintain governance, compliance and control frameworks.

Compliance Audit

Independent verification that an organisation follows laws, policies, and internal controls to reduce penalties and improve transparency.

Governance Framework

Structure that defines authority, accountability, decision rights, and processes across an organisation.

Risk Register

A central log tracking business risks, owners, mitigation steps, and timelines.

Due Diligence

Comprehensive assessment of legal, financial, and operational health before investment, M&A, or partnerships.

Statutory Registers

Legally mandated records such as shareholder, director, and employee registers required under company law.

Board Charter

A governance document describing the board's role, structure, responsibilities and committee mandates.

Zero Penalty Compliance™ (QCG)

QCG’s benchmark model focused on achieving zero regulatory fines through proactive monitoring and remediation.

B. Legal & Regulatory

Key laws, statutory terms and regulatory concepts relevant for Indian and cross-border businesses.

RERA

Real Estate Regulatory Authority: Governs real estate projects and protects homebuyers through disclosures and compliance.

Companies Act, 2013

India’s principal corporate law governing company formation, compliance, director duties and reporting.

FEMA

Foreign Exchange Management Act: Regulates cross-border financial transactions and foreign investment into India.

POSH Act

Prevention of Sexual Harassment: Mandates workplace policies, internal complaints committees and training.

ESG

Environmental, Social & Governance: Frameworks for sustainability, social responsibility and governance best practice.

CSR

Corporate Social Responsibility: Mandatory social spending for qualifying companies with defined compliance rules.

DPDP Act

India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act regulating processing, storage and rights around personal data.

RegTech

Regulatory Technology: Software and automation tools that monitor, report and enforce compliance processes.

C. Finance & Audit

Financial governance, audit readiness and reporting concepts that ensure transparency and investor confidence.

Audit Readiness

Preparing records, controls and systems to withstand statutory, tax or investor audits.

Internal Controls

Processes and checks designed to ensure accuracy, prevent fraud, and maintain financial integrity.

Investor Readiness

Documentation, governance and financial hygiene required to attract investment and pass due diligence.

Regulatory Reporting

Periodic submission of financial and compliance data to regulators such as MCA, SEBI or RBI.

SOX Compliance

Sarbanes-Oxley requirements (for listed firms) that strengthen financial reporting controls and transparency.

KYC / AML

Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering processes to verify counterparty identity and prevent illicit flows.

D. HR, Operations & Digital

Operational controls, HR governance and digital risk terms that keep organisations compliant and resilient.

HR Governance

Policies and processes ensuring fair, lawful, and ethical workforce management.

Whistleblower Policy

Mechanisms allowing confidential reporting of wrongdoing with protection from retaliation.

Vendor Compliance

Processes to validate third-party suppliers against legal, financial, and operational standards.

ERP Integration

Connecting compliance workflows with enterprise systems (ERP) for real-time, auditable controls.

Digital Governance

Frameworks covering cybersecurity, data protection, and IT governance responsibilities.

Cyber Audit

Technical and procedural review assessing cyber-risk posture and data protection controls.

Policy Automation

Using software or AI to track regulatory deadlines, renewals and compliance status.

E. ESG & Sustainability

Terms and frameworks helping organisations measure impact, disclose performance, and govern sustainability risks.

Sustainability Audit

Assessment of environmental, social and governance practices and disclosures.

Carbon Footprint

Measurement of greenhouse gas emissions produced directly or indirectly by operations.

Triple Bottom Line

Accounting of People, Planet and Profit — measuring value beyond finance alone.

UN SDG Alignment

Mapping corporate initiatives to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Ethics Audit

Independent evaluation of ethical practices, conflicts, and governance integrity.

Green Governance

Board-level oversight on climate risk, sustainability strategy and responsible operations.

F. Investor, Global & Strategic Governance

Terms at the intersection of governance, investor relations, cross-border compliance and future readiness.

Investor Governance Report

A structured governance pack prepared for investors or acquirers to demonstrate readiness and risk posture.

M&A Governance

Regulatory, legal and governance controls that reduce risk during mergers, acquisitions and integrations.

Cross-Border Compliance

Adherence to multi-jurisdictional laws for global operations and international transactions.

Stakeholder Engagement

Transparent communications and reporting practices for shareholders, employees and regulators.

Ethical AI Governance

Control frameworks ensuring responsible, fair and compliant use of AI systems.

Understanding terms is the first step. Implementation is the next.

Speak with QCG experts to convert these definitions into measurable governance outcomes.

Book Consultation

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse