The Audit Committee Index is an objective, 360 degree, board-driven, confidential, web based evaluation tool to allow a company to assess the strengths of its audit committee and highlight areas for improvement. The content of The Audit Committee Index was developed in cooperation with FERF, the research affiliate of FEI and:

FEI Research Foundation Products available for this topic are:

• Captures critical success factors defining good governance
• Encompasses quantitative and qualitative metrics
• Drives compliance
• Enhances credibility
• Educates on best practices
• Highlights strengths and areas for improvement
• Moderates risk

The Benchmarking Network forms members-only associations to share information by industry (over 30 represented) and processes (over 50 represented, including accounting and finance and treasury management).

The Accounting and Finance Benchmarking Consortium is a group affiliated with the Benchmarking Network.

Best Practices LLC provides benchmarking reports for members only.

A source for benchmarking data on the finance function is Hackett Best Practices. Their publication is the 2002 Book of Numbers, a portrait of best practices currently in use by the world's best-managed companies. It includes performance metrics and best practices insights from 2002 benchmark studies of finance, strategic decision-making, procurement and information technology. Hackett states that nearly 2,000 global organizations have participated in their studies, including 100% of the Dow Jones Industrials, and 90% of the Fortune 100.

In December of 2000, CFO.com provided results of the 2000 Cost Management Survey.

For key measures of manufacturing performance and industry benchmarks, "Industryweek" has a web page on "Research and Benchmarking."

"Census of Manufacturers" provides data on the practices underway in the various plants and across the companies, as well as the performance metrics being achieved. Industryweek also offers a benchmarking toolkit at .