All Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia employees must comply with the Bank's ethics rules, which generally prohibit employees, their spouses/domestic partners, and minor children from owning securities, such as stock, of banks or savings associations or their affiliates, such as bank holding companies and savings and loan holding companies. The Audit Department assists the Bank's Board of Directors and senior management in the effective discharge of their responsibilities by assessing the adequacy and effectiveness of controls within Bank business areas over financial reporting and other critical operations, effectiveness and efficiency of operations, compliance with policies, procedures, laws and regulations, and the adequacy of the Bank's risk management and governance processes.