Corporate governance

Our responsibility

Corporate governance is the cornerstone of all Sallie Mae initiatives. Our policies and ethical business practices and our compliance with industry-leading standards demonstrate that Sallie Mae is committed to keeping the business of higher education principled and honorable.

Our management remains intently focused on internal controls and exceeding industry standards for governance measures. Awards and recognition from publications like “Governance Metrics” and others show that our practices set a standard for ways in which companies should hold themselves accountable.

Sallie Mae’s participation in the federal student loan program is regulated by the Department of Education and overseen by Congress; the SEC reviews our securities, and the FDIC monitors our lending. But our management demands an even higher level of due diligence and commitment. Excellence in oversight, honesty, and fairness in business practices are all core to our culture, which steers every choice we make.

As an example, the governance requirements mandated under the Sarbanes–Oxley Act were not new to Sallie Mae, as we had chosen to operate under those standards for years. While good governance has been our practice, it is a reflection of the values that motivate our employees and drive families and schools to choose Sallie Mae.