Governance

Deloitte's quarterly assessment of board focus finds that diversity, equity and inclusion subjects are a paramount concern for many companies across sectors. DEI beat out the ongoing response to COVID-19 and ESG for most entities. Once each quarter, Deloitte’s Center for Board Effectiveness and the Society for Corporate Governance collaborate to produce the Board Practices Quarterly, a report based upon...

Corporate governance often does not receive the attention it deserves – especially at nonprofits. The following represent 10 key considerations when it comes to pursuing best practices for nonprofit corporate governance. According to the IRS (PDF download), the service “believes that a well-governed charity is more likely to obey the tax laws, safeguard charitable assets and serve charitable interests than...

The COVID-19 pandemic is still a major concern. But as vaccination efforts continue, now is the time to turn to the future. Boards need to address issues that cropped up during 2020 and prepare for what comes next. In 2020, corporate boards faced a host of unexpected challenges, and the challenges haven’t stopped coming. But for 2021, I see boards...

As companies face a rapidly evolving cyber-threat landscape and proliferating regulations, boards require stronger strategies to address risks. PwC has published its Principles for Board Governance of Cyber Risk in collaboration with The World Economic Forum, National Association of Corporate Directors and Internet Security Alliance to provide leading guidance and best practices for board directors to maintain cyber-resilient organizations while...

ESG issues are taking systemic tolls on companies and sectors alike. These will only continue to mount. With ESG now in the mainstream, Allianz's Shanil Williams details a few of the most pressing sources of risk. As ESG increasingly influences investment decisions, that sway is carrying over more and more into risk management. Directors’ duties in many jurisdictions are already...

With the SEC poised to take action on ESG compliance, companies are at an impasse: There’s no clear direction on ESG reporting and no agreement about what ESG compliance even means. Answers to the myriad questions around ESG reporting remain elusive. Standardized — possibly mandated — ESG reporting is likely imminent in the U.S. And while some envision a silver...

As many companies continue to pivot quickly in response to unanticipated events that unfolded due to the pandemic, board agendas are becoming more complex by the day. The recently released second issue of Board Practices Quarterly – conducted by Deloitte in collaboration with the Society for Corporate Governance – provides an extensive look at some of the key areas and trends that are expected to be...

This year, as in the previous five years, Russell Reynolds Associates interviewed over 40 global institutional and activist investors, pension fund managers, proxy advisors and other corporate governance professionals to identify the corporate governance trends that will impact boards and directors in 2021. This year's trends include: Climate Change Risk Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Convergence of Sustainability Reporting Standards...

2020 was tumultuous to say the least. But between the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, numerous ESG issues and more, what are the top concerns for directors as we head deeper into 2021? Dottie Schindlinger and Kira Ciccarelli of the Diligent Institute share insights from the latest research. The pandemic has raised hard-hitting questions about the future of the workforce, the...

Finance experts are increasingly aware of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. This trend did not come out of nowhere; it's a response to investor demand. Michael Volkov explores the growth of ESG and the actions companies can take now. Corporate governance sometimes is the subject of “fads,” or initiatives that gain traction with dubious evidence-based justifications. Sometimes companies engage...

Shanil Williams of AGCS examines how the ongoing global pandemic is affecting the C-Suite and what directors and officers need to know about claims in this environment. “Never let a good crisis go to waste” is the often-brandished call-to-arms for corporate leaders to be brave in the face of COVID-19 uncertainty. Indeed, McKinsey has termed it as the “CEO moment,”...

In the year ahead, organizations must prepare for the unknown so they have the flexibility to endure unexpected and high-impact security events. ISF’s Steve Durbin discusses what should be on the board’s radar in 2021. As new technologies emerge, organizations must adapt to the changing norms and values of our connected society. Information security teams must consider the suitability of...