Board Agenda 006
-
Executive pay excess, 18th May 2018
Remuneration tightrope: what is the future of exec pay?
Executive pay has become a core issue in corporate governance. As companies begin to act on excess, we ask what’s in store for pay in the future.
-
Diversity activism, 18th April 2018
Legal & General and investment group to ‘vote against’ non-diverse boards
Both Legal & General Investment Management and The Investment Association have fired warning shots at FTSE 350 boards to improve gender diversity, or face the consequences.
-
Cross-border regulation, 14th May 2018
Brussels seeks amended law to facilitate cross-border moves
The European Commission aims to help companies move across borders more easily, introduce digital registrations that would save millions of euros, and stamp out fraud and abuse.
-
Dual roles, 8th May 2018
Amazon faces calls to separate CEO and chairman roles
Consumer campaign group says there is a conflict of interest in Jeff Bezos holding both the CEO and chairman roles at Amazon.
-
Auditors, 11th April 2018
Watchdog to step up monitoring of largest audit firms
Financial Reporting Council says it will take a closer look at leadership at the six biggest audit firms.
-
Persimmon bonus scheme, 26th April 2018
Persimmon AGM vote sees investors slam executive mega-payouts
Majority of Persimmon shareholders either vote against or abstain from backing the housebuilder's controversial executive bonus payouts.
-
Corporate behaviour, 9th May 2018
EC proposes better protection for whistleblowers
European legislators aim to improve safeguards by proposing an EU-wide responsibility for companies to set up whistleblowing procedures.
-
Environment & investment, 5th March 2018
Pension fund trustees could be forced to publish climate policy
The UK government examines whether pension fund trustees should publish a climate change investment policy.
-
Green investment, 8th February 2018
Investors’ fiduciary duty should ‘require’ attention to climate change
Investment campaign group calls for changes to investment regulation so that climate change and ESG factors are included fiduciary obligations.
-
Diversity, 23rd March 2018
‘Monocultures’ in financial firms lead to governance issues, says regulator
A senior figure from the Financial Conduct Authority argues that financial services firms with more women may suffer less from governance problems.
-
Shareholder activism, 5th February 2018
Dutch corporate governance committee calls for more shareholder activism
The Dutch corporate governance committee believes "it’s time to pay more attention to the role and involvement of shareholders, particularly with regard to long-term value creation".
-
FRC governance and process, 17th April 2018
‘Root and branch’ review of FRC launched by government
Business secretary Greg Clark has launched an independent review of the role of accounting watchdog Financial Reporting Council, over concerns that it "lacks teeth".
-
IPOs, 28th February 2018
Hong Kong Stock Exchange proposes allowing dual class shares
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange has proposed allowing widely criticised dual class shares in changes to listing rules aimed at attracting China's big tech companies.
-
Climate change, 5th February 2018
EU lawmakers back plans for greater CO2 cuts in key sectors
Carbon emissions from the transport, farming, building and waste sectors must reduce by 30% by 2030, suggests the European Commission—a proposal which the European Parliament supports.
-
Finance technology, 27th February 2018
UK and US financial services authorities sign deal on fintech cooperation
The UK’s FCA and a US trading commission will collaborate on fintech (financial technologies) and support firms wishing to expand in international markets.
-
Corporate reporting, 14th March 2018
Belgian business groups publish guide on non-financial reporting law
A group of Belgian stakeholders have put together guidelines to help business leaders implement a law introduced last year on non-financial reporting.
-
Singapore governance code, 2nd March 2017
Singapore: Code of Corporate Governance to be reviewed
The Code of Corporate Governance (CG Code) in Singapore will come under review by a council, while there are calls for firms to go beyond boiler-plate explanations.
-
Tax, 27th February 2018
Dutch plan to counter ‘tax haven’ reputation
The Dutch ministry of finance unveils plans to challenge the country's status as a tax haven by targeting loopholes for royalty payments.
-
SEBI, 5th June 2017
New committee to review Indian governance
India's markets watchdog creates a committee tasked with producing a report on potential reforms to Indian governance.
-
Corporate governance Belgium, 20th February 2018
Belgium drafts revised corporate governance code
It is hoped that a revision of the Belgian corporate governance code will help the code to "remain relevant" to Belgian-listed companies and help them to "create long-term value".
-
Sustainable business growth, 25th May 2018
How business can recognise the true value of people and communities
The new Social & Human Capital Coalition will help make business more successful and society more resilient, argues Peter Bakker.
-
Responsible investment, 7th June 2018
Why serious investors demand more than just climate disclosure
Investors serious about climate change cannot settle for disclosure; their attention must now be on action, writes Sophia McNab of investment charity ShareAction.
-
Investors, 18th May 2018
LGIM launches gender diversity fund to promote women on boards
Asset manager LGIM will track the score of 350 UK companies for a new fund focused on promoting improved gender diversity standards.
-
Audit ownership reform, 18th May 2018
The audit market concentration ratchet strengthens case for reform
The audit market is being accused of lacking competition, but there is a case for reforming ownership rules.
-
Banking regulation reform, 18th May 2018
Why it is time to take stock of governance in banking
In the decade since the collapse of Lehman Brothers triggered the global financial crisis, governance and leadership roles in banking have been transformed for the better. But is it now time for banks to assess progress, and question whether it is necessary to reduce the regulatory burden and the increasingly one-size-fits-all approach taken by supervisory bodies?
-
Share buybacks, 23rd May 2018
Buyback mountain: why the rise in share buybacks is causing concern
The number of share buybacks is mounting and the UK is concerned that they may happen to be boosting executive pay. Board Agenda considers the arguments for and against share buybacks.
-
Pay inequality, 1st June 2018
Research reveals executives’ views on the ethics of high pay
It is now widely recognised that there has been an exceptional increase in executive pay over the past 30 years. But recent academic research asked executives: is it right and fair that some people earn disproportionately more than others?
-
Remuneration, 1st June 2018
Remcos must be reformed to reign in executive pay
If executive pay is to be brought under control, a different approach will be needed for remuneration committees and strategic planning.
-
Stakeholder management, 16th May 2018
Why boards should be clear about long-term value
The need for boards to focus on the long-term value of their organisations is by now well known, but communicating this clearly to stakeholders is crucial if they are to regain public trust and remain sustainable.
-
Data security, 4th June 2018
Cybersecurity is a key corporate governance concern
The security of a company’s data is no longer an IT issue but a key concern for corporate governance, writes Fiona Reynolds of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment.
-
Stewardship Code Japan, 13th November 2017
Origins of investor stewardship and the Japan code
Abenomics brought a host of changes to Japan, not least the introduction of a new stewardship code for investors. The code is now being updated with new guidance, explains Kerrie Waring of the ICGN.
-
Interview: Michael Herskovich on sustainable asset management, 28th May 2018
An asset to responsible investment: Michael Herskovich, BNP Paribas
Michael Herskovich, head of corporate governance at BNP Paribas Asset Management, tells Board Agenda how sustainability is central to its values, and why it is engaging with others to follow suit.
-
Interview: Steven Baert on corporate culture, 21st May 2018
Culture at heart: Steven Baert, Novartis
Steven Baert, the group head of human resources at Novartis, explores the thinking behind culture change at the Swiss pharmaceuticals behemoth.
-
Cybersecurity, 15th May 2018
A road map for protection against cybercrime security
Cybersecurity has become one of the biggest concerns for boards and investors. FTSE 350 audit committee chairs and institutional investors recently discussed how boards can best protect their companies—particularly ahead of the new data protection law in May.
-
Venture capital, 18th May 2018
Preparation key for growing trend of corporate venture capital deals
Companies increasingly make their own venture capital deals to win strategic advantage. But investors need to prepare properly before they begin the deal-making.
-
Sustainable investment, 18th May 2018
Sustainable expectations: how the ESG investment agenda is shifting
Investors are placing environmental, social and governance issues at the top of their agendas, and they expect companies to do the same.
-
Board portals, 19th April 2018
How boards foster a strong culture
Corporate culture is a hot topic for discussion right now, but how can boards get it right in practice? Directors can get ahead of the game by using digital tools to cultivate a strong culture and long-term success.
-
Shared services, 18th May 2018
How automation and digitisation are driving an outsourcing rethink
The use of shared service centres (SSCs) has grown over the decades. They offer many benefits to finance and accounting departments, but the rise in automation and digitisation will bring a radical shakeup of the SSC business model, which has implications for the companies using them.
-
Executive recruitment, 18th May 2018
A practical guide to executive onboarding
An effective onboarding process is now viewed as a highly valuable part of establishing diverse boards that can innovate and adapt to change.
-
Gender inequality, 18th May 2018
The gloves are off: gender pay gap reporting and dirty tricks
Since gender pay gap reporting rules came into force last year, some boards are playing dirty to avoid exposing higher male pay ratios.
-
Japanese stewardship and governance, 11th June 2018
Japan’s wave of governance reform is welcomed, and isn’t over yet
Abenomics—or “Japan’s Revitalisation Strategy”—is awakening the concept of investor stewardship and focusing the minds of Japan’s corporate elite on how to improve governance standards.