What does Sarbanes-Oxley primarily aim to improve?

The primary aim of Sarbanes-Oxley is to enhance the quality and transparency of financial reporting. This legislative act was enacted in response to major corporate scandals that exposed significant financial misconduct and accounting fraud, notably in companies like Enron and WorldCom.

Sarbanes-Oxley introduced stringent regulations and standards for financial practices and corporate governance, requiring greater accuracy in financial disclosures. It established stricter penalties for falsifying financial information and mandated that company executives take individual responsibility for the accuracy of financial reports. The act also instituted new requirements for auditing practices, thus aiming to restore public confidence in the integrity of financial reporting.

In contrast, while the other options reference various business functions, they do not relate to the specific focus of Sarbanes-Oxley on financial accountability and transparency. It is clear that the act's core objective is to bolster stakeholders' trust in the financial information presented by companies.