Company: NWBI
Filing Date: 2025-02-25
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001471265-25-000016
Chunk: 37

Company: Northwest Bancshares, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-02-25
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 37
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 12(b) of the Exchange Act. We are also subject to the proxy rules, tender offer rules, insider trading restrictions, annual and periodic reporting, and other requirements of the Exchange Act.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was enacted to increase corporate responsibility, to provide for enhanced penalties for accounting and auditing improprieties at publicly traded companies, and to protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures pursuant to the securities laws. In particular, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act established, among other things: (i) requirements for audit and other key Board of Directors committees involving independence, expertise levels, and specified responsibilities; (ii) responsibilities regarding the oversight of financial statements by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the reporting company; (iii) standards for auditors and the regulation of audits, including independence provisions which restrict non-audit services that accountants may provide to their audit clients; (iv) increased disclosure and reporting obligations for the reporting company and its directors and executive officers including accelerated reporting of company stock transactions; (v) a prohibition of personal loans to directors and officers, except certain loans made by insured financial institutions on non-preferential terms and in compliance with other bank regulator requirements; and (vii) a range of new and increased civil and criminal penalties for fraud and other violations of the securities laws. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act generally applies to all companies that file or are required to file periodic reports with the SEC, under the Exchange Act. The Company has policies, procedures and systems designed to comply with this Act and its implementing regulations. 

Data Privacy and Cybersecurity

Data privacy and cybersecurity are areas of significant and increasing federal and state regulation. Like other businesses in the U.S., the Company and its non-banking subsidiaries are subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the authority of the Federal Trade Commission which regulates unfair or deceptive acts or practices, including with respect to data privacy and cybersecurity. Other federal and state laws and regulations impact the Company’s ability to share certain information with affiliates and non-affiliates for marketing and/or non-marketing purposes. Moreover, the U.S. Congress has recently considered, and is currently considering, various proposals for more comprehensive data privacy and cybersecurity legislation, to which the Company and its subsidiaries may be subject if passed. 

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Financial institutions, including the Company and Northwest Bank, are also subject to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act