More than four years after the collapse of Carillion which sparked a call for ‘urgent’ audit reform, the wait continues.
Read More
Top Stories
Law experts defend Nasdaq in board diversity battle
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 27, 2022
US academics point out that the proposed new requirements relate only to reporting and disclosure, not quotas.
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News round-up: this week in governance
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 23, 2022
Ben & Jerry's founders speak up, campaigners seek net zero clarity from the government, Cisco vote on tax transparency, CEOs...
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Corporate efforts to define their ‘purpose’ fail to convince employees
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 23, 2022
Survey finds most staff believe their company has changed little or not at all since setting out a purpose.
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Diversity statements are not all ‘cheap talk’, finds study
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 22, 2022
After the murder of George Floyd, many US companies committed to increasing diversity—and some have backed up their words with...
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Fresh detail for reforming Section 172
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 21, 2022
Push continues to reform company directors’ duties so that they embrace a wider circle of stakeholders.
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News round-up: this week in governance
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 16, 2022
Equality stalls Down Under; narcissistic CEOs; EY to poll partners on audit split; SEC pushes on with climate reporting introduction.
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Board veto of shareholder AGM resolution under scrutiny
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 14, 2022
Lawyers challenge boards blocking shareholder resolutions
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BlackRock defends its ESG position
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 13, 2022
The fund manager has responded to accusations from the attorney generals of 18 US states, who say BlackRock is not...
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News round-up: this week in governance
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 9, 2022
ICAEW asks Liz Truss to progress audit reform; FRC to leave London; reporting earnings per share correctly; ESG committees gain...
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Ethics, ‘shareholder wealth’ and Twitter drove companies to quit Russia
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 9, 2022
Cutting ties with Russia after social media boycott campaigns was ‘woke-wash’ for some companies, research suggests.
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Campaigners protest against EU due diligence proposals
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 7, 2022
Objectors say the directive on corporate sustainability and human rights falls short, while companies criticise the demands it makes.
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Companies fail to credibly commit to net zero pledges
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 5, 2022
Corporate governance needs a booster of ‘green pill’ obligations to hold organisations to account over their promises, write academics.
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News round-up: this week in governance
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 2, 2022
Watchdogs offer guidance on better ESG information; Biblical investor renounces ESG; activist investors close London office.
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UK leads as say-on-climate voting grows across Europe
By Gavin Hinks
/ September 1, 2022
AGM season reveals votes on climate plans have grown but so has opposition.
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Pressure renewed for human rights due diligence
By Gavin Hinks
/ August 31, 2022
New poll reveals public backing for laws forcing companies to head off and weed out human rights and environmental abuses.
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3 things you can do to improve ESG
By Andrew Hobbs
/ August 26, 2022
The role of boards is evolving as companies focus on accelerating their ESG journeys. What do you need to do...
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How Nasdaq’s board diversity rule creates potential for real change
By Felicia A. Henderson
/ August 24, 2022
New Nasdaq rules requiring qualitative and quantitative disclosure about board diversity will better inform investors—and spur progress.
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What the world can learn from Nordic boards
By Stanislav Shekshnia
/ August 22, 2022
Proactive, engaged and democratic, corporate boards in Nordic countries are well-placed to deal with today’s complex operating environments.
Read More
Latest News
NEWS: Audit reform, 27 September, 2022
Auditors press for internal controls law
More than four years after the collapse of Carillion which sparked a call for ‘urgent’ audit reform, the wait continues.
NEWS: Diversity, 27 September, 2022
Law experts defend Nasdaq in board diversity battle
US academics point out that the proposed new requirements relate only to reporting and disclosure, not quotas.
INSIGHT: ESG-linked pay, 27 September, 2022
Executive remuneration through the ESG lens
Over half of FTSE 100 executive bonus plans now contain an element addressing ESG. Here’s why it makes sense.
NEWS: Governance, 23 September, 2022
News round-up: this week in governance
NEWS: Ethics, 23 September, 2022
Corporate efforts to define their ‘purpose’ fail to convince employees
NEWS: Diversity, 22 September, 2022
Diversity statements are not all ‘cheap talk’, finds study
NEWS: Regulation, 21 September, 2022
Fresh detail for reforming Section 172
NEWS: Governance, 16 September, 2022
News round-up: this week in governance
Interviews
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NEWS: Webinar
Business transformation is a priority now, say experts
As business survival depends on adapting to the changing post-pandemic economic landscape, it’s as well to be ahead of the game.
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NEWS: Webinar
Stakeholder pressure increases urgency on ESG
Experts say pressure to act on ESG is coming from regulators, investors and a new generation of consumers and employees.
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NEWS: Webinar
Many executives ‘fail to understand the role and value of boards’
A recent webinar on board effectiveness discussed the mix of competence and courage required from non-executive directors.
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NEWS: Webinar
Disaster or disruption? Crisis management requires clear definitions
Identifying and categorising crises, and developing a methodology to deal with them, can help boards to prepare for worst case scenarios.
Board Moves
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Board moves, 28 September, 2022
Baroness Rock to chair Costain’s board
She will join the building and engineering group’s board on 1 November as chair designate and non-executive director.
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Board moves, 23 September, 2022
Tesco appoints non-executive director
Caroline Silver, also a non-executive director at BUPA, joins the supermarket retail giant at the beginning of next month.
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Board moves, 21 September, 2022
DFS appoints non-executive chair
Steve Johnson will succeed Ian Durant on his retirement from the role at November’s annual general meeting.
Regulation
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NEWS: Audit reform, 27 September, 2022
Auditors press for internal controls law
More than four years after the collapse of Carillion which sparked a call for ‘urgent’ audit reform, the wait continues.
-
NEWS: Diversity, 27 September, 2022
Law experts defend Nasdaq in board diversity battle
US academics point out that the proposed new requirements relate only to reporting and disclosure, not quotas.
-
NEWS: Regulation, 21 September, 2022
Fresh detail for reforming Section 172
Push continues to reform company directors’ duties so that they embrace a wider circle of stakeholders.
Partner Contributions
NEWS: ESG reporting
ESG reporting all-important in stakeholder engagement
Experts advise that by boosting their annual reporting, boards can build trust and form more meaningful relationships with investors.
INSIGHT: Governance
Audit committees and ESG: ‘It’s a difficult journey to navigate’
The rise of ESG as an investor concern is creating new demands of audit committees. A recent CACID event looked at the challenges.
Recognition that significant change is needed and determination to drive progress are vital if boards are to improve sustainability.
INSIGHT: Strategy
Leading change: the board’s role in driving business transformation
The chief executive and the rest of the board need to create a vision for the future, with clear objectives and a plan for achieving them.
As events repeatedly demonstrate, supply chain disruption is a given. Here's how improving resilience can benefit your wider strategy.
INSIGHT: Strategy
Firms forge ahead with AI adoption despite a lack of skills on boards
Survey reveals more than two-thirds of companies plan to implement AI technologies in the next 12 months.
A new report provides a roadmap to navigate the recovery by creating a culture of innovation—including making it a priority in the boardroom.
Insight: Risk
D&O litigation on the rise amid host of emerging risks
Directors face liability over a range of new threats, with data breaches, executive misconduct and climate boosting D&O litigation claims.
INSIGHT: Crisis management
Corporate disclosures and investor relations 'impaired by Covid-19'
A recent event hosted by Mazars brought together audit committee chairs and investors to explore their experience of coping with the impact of Covid-19.
NEWS: Governance awards
Diligent launches search for top 100 governance professionals 2020
The Modern Governance 100 programme honours company secretaries, corporate counsels and other professionals driving change in their organisations.
Survey reveals almost 60% of firms have revisited their strategy, and highlights a lack of board knowledge about key risks—including climate change.
INSIGHT: Compliance
Internal investigations are on the rise—but are they robust enough?
New legislation in the UK and Europe has added pressure for more internal investigations. But the lack of guidance puts companies at a disadvantage.
Risk management
Covid-19 adds to an unprecedented landscape of risk
Audit committee chairs have already drawn risk management lessons from the pandemic. But their attention is also fixed on the issues that will remain long after the crisis is resolved.
Investor engagement
Collaboration is key for the challenging AGM season ahead
With shareholder activism on the rise, boards must ensure they engage fully with investor concerns and demonstrate how they are addressing crucial issues.
Setting up a business in Germany can be challenging—even something as basic as opening a bank account poses difficulties. Here's what you need to know.
Talent pipeline
How companies can develop more diverse boardrooms
Diverse boardrooms have been shown to correlate with improved financial performance. But creating a talent pipeline isn’t an overnight task.
Board evolution
Setting the pace: how to ensure your board is fit for the future
EY’s latest whitepaper looks at the key actions boards should take now to ensure they set the pace—or risk falling behind.
Chairs and board members must understand their organisation's financial risk policy and hedging strategy to ensure that they can ask the right questions—and mitigate the risks posed by volatile financial markets.
A new report examines how outsourcing offers financial and strategic advantages to organisations in an increasingly fast-paced business environment.
Global business
Greece tops list of most complex international jurisdictions
TMF Group’s Global Business Complexity Index ranks Greece the most difficult jurisdiction for international companies to do business in, with Brazil, Germany and China also in the top ten.
Knowledge sharing
NGO governance: finding solutions to future challenges
A recent event brought together experts from national and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to identify future governance challenges for the sector—and share possible solutions.
Financial services
Banking on better cybersecurity
Boards are bolstering their expertise as they look to tackle one of the biggest business threats facing financial services firms: the risk of cyber-attacks. But experts warn that resilience needs to be hard-wired into the business itself.
Following a raft of corporate scandals uncovered by whistleblowers, the business risks associated with an individual revealing wrongdoing should not be underestimated in the boardroom.
Board expertise
Taking control of cyber risk
Cybercrime is an escalating problem that demands constant attention to mitigate against financial and reputational risk. But what should boards do to ensure their organisation is protected?
Board expertise
Performance and accountability: the changing role of the chair
The role of the board chair has changed dramatically in the past decade, with chairs increasingly held responsible for corporate governance failures. How can board leaders ensure they are prepared for the challenges ahead?
Financial services
Special report: Future-proofing financial services
From compliance to new technology and broader stakeholder engagement, financial services firms today must be fighting fit in order to thrive. Enter the effective board, which must govern like never before. In this special report, we outline six key areas of knowledge and insight to equip boards for the unprecedented challenges ahead.
Boards could take the opportunity to turn transparency to their advantage. A penetrating light is being shone on the tax affairs of multinational entities—but tax transparency will encompass all businesses in time.
