Strategy
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Year in Review, 24 December, 2018
2018: A year in governance
This past year has been packed with governance events from the launch of new codes, executive pay debates, and leadership behaviour debacles to climate change, cybersecurity scandals and the Khashoggi murder.
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Social purpose, 22 October, 2018
Why marrying societal impact with financial strategy takes time
While many investors are increasingly focused on environmental, social and governance, many firms fail to embed it into their core strategy. The reason may be that mixing societal impact with financial success can be a slow burn.
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Leadership skills, 5 October, 2018
Sink or swim: board leaders must go on a journey of discovery
Board leaders exist on stormy seas of change. The question is, can they stay afloat by adapting to the way the wind is blowing, or will they go down with the ship?
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Business models, 28 September, 2018
Employee ownership: a help or hindrance to UK business?
The shadow chancellor has proposed a move towards 10% employee ownership, while the CBI director-general describes the plan as a "wilful misunderstanding of business". How could this work in practice?
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Pension regulation, 12 September, 2018
‘Uncharted territory’ for directors as hard line set for pension regulation
Board directors are entering a tough new era, with regulatory proposals to impose sanctions for directors who deliberately put their employees’ pensions at risk.
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Digital boardroom, 11 September, 2018
Lead or be led: Why digital transformation starts at the top
How can the boardroom drive technology change for the better? By adopting the use of a board portal, a digital transformation 'enabler', board leaders can be at the forefront of improved efficiency.
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Technology, 28 August, 2018
Blockchain projects in wide-scale development
Survey shows the scale of interest in blockchain as executives reveal development projects are underway around the world.
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Sustainable boards, 27 July, 2018
Survey to reveal sustainability thinking among boards
Sustainability is now a headline issue, but how much progress has it made in moving to the core of business strategy?
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Digital technology, 27 July, 2018
The technologies senior leaders plan to deploy in the coming years
Cloud computing is expected to take a back seat to artificial intelligence, big data analytics and blockchain, shows recent academic research conducted by INSEAD.
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Remuneration, 20 June, 2018
Whitbread’s demerger pay plan under fire from investor advisors
Investors are advised to oppose a remuneration policy at Whitbread designed to incentivise its demerger from Costa Coffee.
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Stakeholder management, 16 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.
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Technology and data, 8 May, 2018
How boards can use technology to retain a competitive edge
Knowledge and skills in the boardroom must evolve with the risks and opportunities presented by technology—as well as its associated data—if companies are to remain competitive.
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ESG, 20 April, 2018
Campaign demands more ‘sustainable’ companies for investors
Netflix and Walt Disney are among the companies targeted by investors calling for more "environmentally friendly" policies.
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Asset managers, 19 March, 2018
BlackRock reveals more details on its engagement priorities
BlackRock has detailed how it will engage with and act upon topics such as human capital management, climate change and executive pay for the coming year.
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Strategy and restructuring, 15 March, 2018
Unilever opts for single Netherlands HQ and ‘one share one vote’
Unilever announces the end of its dual-registered structure to make Netherlands its home base, in a bid to improve governance and shareholder value.
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Investors, 19 February, 2018
GPIF, Japan’s pension fund, to probe external fund manager’s pay
Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund, the world's largest pension fund, is to look at the link between pay and performance for external portfolio managers.
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Women on boards, 15 February, 2018
Stronger together: the wider benefits of women on boards
We know that women improve company boards, but a recent study reveals that they also offer better support to less powerful stakeholders and, in turn, make their companies better corporate citizens.
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Regulation compliance, 13 February, 2018
Compliance: take it or leave it
Compliance with regulation and the law is an essential part of business, but a new report reveals that companies are aware of failings and that the appetite for abiding by the rules is surprisingly low.
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Investor activism, 7 February, 2018
Activist investors: the corporate world’s new fixture
Boards beware: as investor activism becomes more prevalent, directors would do well to prepare for the worst—an issue that few companies have properly considered.
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Capital allocation, 2 February, 2018
ICGN calls for inclusion of buy-backs in governance code
The ICGN's policy director has called for the inclusion of share buy-backs in the UK's corporate governance code, which the government is currently reviewing.