3 August, 2021

King IV code change favours quantity over quality

King IV’s “apply and explain” approach is resulting in the release of overwhelming amounts of information, which are obscuring—rather than highlighting—governance issues in South Africa.

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Disclosure is at the heart of corporate governance. To be effective, stakeholders must have access to the information needed to substantiate boardroom claims that the company adheres to governance standards. But it is the quality and not the quantity of information made available to stakeholders that is critical. The overwhelming volume of information that has been generated in the wake of the 2017 introduction of the King IV code of corporate governance poses a significant threat to the effectiveness of a governance system based on oversight and requiring disclosure. The reality is that some companies use the governance code

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corporate governance, King Code on Corporate Governance, King IV, reporting, South Africa, Spring 2019, Theo Botha