Corporate Governance

The corporate governance section of the website covers a range of issues that affect directors and those on the governing bodies of other types of organisation. Specific policy issues include:

  • Corporate governance codes
  • The role of the director and the board
  • The Companies Act 2006
  • Corporate governance in the EU and other countries
  • The governance of unlisted companies and public bodies
  • Corporate responsibility and sustainability
  • Risk management
  • The relationship between directors and shareholders

       

News

       

ecoDa Annual conference - "Comply or Explain: Preserving Governance Flexibility with Quality Explanations"

The European Confederation of Directors' Associations (ecoDa) is holding its annual conference on Tuesday 27th March (from 8:45 to 14:30) at the Residence Palace in Brussels. A high-level panel of policy makers and experts will share their thoughts on the functioning of the Comply or Explain principle.

The “comply or explain” principle has played a useful role in offering an incentive for continuous improvement in Corporate Governance practices. However, a debate is underway about proposals to improve the existing model and promote meaningful and verifiable explanations.

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Eric Ducoulombier, Acting Head of Unit, Unit F-2 -European Commission
  • Eddy Wymeersch, Chairman, the European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)
  • Jean-Nicolas Caprasse, Director ISS - Europe, European Governance Head
  • Jaap Winter, Partner, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
  • Herman Daems, Chairman of the Commission Corporate Governance Belgium and Chairman of BNP-Paribas Fortis & Barco
  • Peter Montagnon, Senior Investment Adviser, Financial Reporting Council
  • Lutgart Van den Berghe, Executive Director, GUBERNA
  • Simon Walker, Director General, IoD.

For further details, including registration, see the following conference programme:

       

IoD champions next stage of Red Tape Challenge: 26 January – 15 February 2012

Dr. Roger Barker, Head of Corporate Governance at the IoD, has been appointed by the Government as Company Law Champion in the next stage of the Red Tape Challenge. The Red Tape Challenge was launched by the Prime Minister in April 2011. It gives business and the public the chance to have their say on regulations in a number of key policy areas.

For a three week period - between 26th January and 16th February 2012 – the focus of the Red Tape Challenge is Company Law. The IoD will work with its members and the wider UK business community to consider ways in which company law regulations can be improved, simplified or abolished. As Company Law Champion, Dr. Barker will assist the Government in the evaluation of proposed changes. He will seek to champion any proposals that could lead to a simplified and more business-friendly legal framework.

IoD members and other interested parties are invited to submit their views on company law regulation to the Government’s Red Tape Challenge website (www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk). Alternatively, they can send their comments directly to Dr. Barker at the IoD (roger.barker@iod.com). Further background concerning the current framework of UK company law is available in the following briefing paper.

       

European Corporate Governance Conference – 5 and 6 March 2012

The European Confederation of Directors’ Associations (ecoDa) is running the next in its regular series of European conferences for directors on 5th and 6th March in Brussels. This two-day event offers a European perspective on board functioning and corporate governance, and is targeted at directors with a cross-border mandate in their board activities. In addition, anyone seeking to update their knowledge of recent EU policy developments in the field of corporate governance will benefit from the conference. Participants and speakers include directors and experts from all across the EU member states.

Further information is available here:

More news

      

ecoDa News and Information:

The IoD is a member of ecoDa - The European Confederation of Directors' Associations.

About ecoDa:

  • ecoDa represents the views of ten European directors' associations. The membership of these national associations covers the entire spectrum of business leadership, from the largest public companies to the smallest private firms;
  • Established in 2004, ecoDa represents the views of Company Directors to policy makers within the EU and its institutions. It aims to ensure that Directors' perspectives are taken into account at every step of the decision-making process;
  • ecoDa is also a platform for national Directors' Institutes to share best practice on corporate governance;
  • The IoD is a founding member of ecoDa and the IoD's Director General, Miles Templeman, was Chairman between 2007 and 2009.

ecoDa Newsletter


Find out more about ecoDa and its activities at: www.ecoda.org


       

Briefing Papers

       


The IoD was concerned that the then existing law dealing with manslaughter and work acted unfairly against smaller enterprises as compared with large organisations. The IoD's activities also helped ensure that a new law will apply to a wide range of organisations, and that the penalties for breach of the law are to apply to the organisation itself. Read more>>


Britain's banking system is having a crisis of confidence - is this due to financial regulation or could it relate to broader UK corporate governance issues? The IoD addresses the issue in this highly topical and brand new policy briefing. Read more>>

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IoD Policy exists to advance the case for business in Government, the media and other influential areas.

       

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Policy Team