Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation (250–350 words)

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The EC-Council CCISO program consistently emphasizes that senior-level sponsorship is the most critical success factor when establishing a security governance program.

CCISO documentation explains that governance requires authority, accountability, and enforcement, which cannot be achieved without executive backing. Senior leadership sponsorship ensures alignment with business objectives, allocation of resources, and organization-wide compliance with security policies.

Budgets (Option A), training workshops (Option B), and risk management programs (Option D) are all important, but they cannot succeed without executive endorsement and support.

CCISO aligns this principle with ISO and NIST governance models, reinforcing that security governance is an executive responsibility.

Therefore, Option C is correct.