Governance
NEWS: Research, 4 December, 2020
Evidence builds for introduction of new audit committee standards
Financial Reporting Council says new report “lends weight to proposals for reforms in the audit sector”, including new standards for committees.
NEWS: Gender diversity, 2 December, 2020
Shareholder pressure gets women directors on US boards
Study reveals that recent campaigns by BlackRock, State Street and Vanguard have significantly increased the number of women on US boards.
INSIGHT: Board expertise, 1 December, 2020
Does your board have the ESG skills they need for future success?
2020 has been a pivotal year in which even sceptical leaders have been forced to reckon with ESG’s vital role in business strategy.
NEWS: Corporate reporting, 30 November, 2020
Watchdog’s ire provoked by ‘vague’ purpose statements
Research by the FRC finds 62% of companies cannot articulate connections between their purpose, values and strategy.
NEWS: Remuneration, 25 November, 2020
Decrease in CEO pay variation blamed on ‘reciprocal benchmarking’
Chief executive pay deals in the US have begun to cluster around the same levels regardless of the size or profitability of the firms involved.
NEWS: Regulation, 23 November, 2020
UK to review dual-class shares as part of consultation on listings
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has included dual-class shares in a review of UK listings, with the ICGN warning that they risk lowering governance standards.
INSIGHT: Board composition, 23 November, 2020
New ISS benchmarks increase the pressure for diverse boards
The US ratings agency recommends voting against directors of firms without racially or ethnically diverse board members from 2022. But details are lacking.
NEWS: Disclosures, 19 November, 2020
Roadmap to mandatory TCFD reporting ‘should focus minds’
Some premium listed companies will see compulsory climate reporting as soon as next year. And experts warn that much work remains to be done.
COMMENT: Climate targets, 17 November, 2020
From A to Zero: how to build a credible corporate net zero strategy
The target of net zero carbon emissions poses many challenges, particularly for companies with complex supply chains. But it also creates opportunities.
NEWS: Research, 16 November, 2020
Audit fees increase when foreign investors become majority owners
European study finds that audit fees are 10.5% higher where the largest owner is foreign rather than domestic.