Governance

Without actions to establish tone at the top and reinforce the importance of principled behavior, even the most beautifully worded code of conduct is worthless. Is your organization committed to ethical and responsible business behavior – and does your team know it? Culture is created from the top down, and a code of conduct is one component that shouldn’t be...

A major divide exists within many organizations between the data governance, automation and scalability needed by IT to ensure corporate compliance regulations are met and the ease of data access and flexibility business users demand – and it can no longer be ignored. But what’s to be done?

From PwC: Boards today are facing increased scrutiny about who exactly is sitting in the boardroom. Some critics say board members are too old, they’ve served for too long, and there’s not enough diversity in the boardroom. Even some directors believe boards need a refresh: 39% of directors polled in our 2015 Annual Corporate Directors Survey believe a fellow board...

Considering the limitations of any one individual’s capabilities, the time one is practically able to spend, and one’s access to company information – such as operations and finance – it may be time to augment our expectations of independent directors. What independent directors need for effective governance is a holistic view, but they may not be prepared for that full...

Regulatory examinations shouldn’t be confrontational events, as the licensee’s and the regulator’s missions should be aligned – that is, honest, fair, equitable and efficient operations. This article discusses points and tips for you to keep in mind as you plan for your first or next examination.

In the acquisition of another business, your firm may pick up more than assets and personnel; depending on how the merger is structured, you may be on the hook for the dissolved company’s environmental liabilities.

Improved Board risk oversight may be the most important factor in preventing corporate governance breakdowns. This theory is picking up steam among experts, and the expectation now is that Boards should oversee management’s risk appetite and tolerance and ensure alignment with its own.

In order to achieve maximally effective governance, CEOs and Boards of Directors must work hand in hand. A governance committee can be helpful in fostering this partnership, but with or without governance committees, CEOs must take an active role in improving Board performance. Linda Henman offers 10 strategies to do just that.

It’s absolutely critical that the Chief Compliance Officer and the Board of Directors work together to achieve a culture of ethics and compliance. With the Board’s backing, a CCO’s influence is far greater. Establishing that relationship, however, may be a daunting proposition. Michael Volkov outlines five steps to build this key bond.

In many cases it's preferable for an employer to resolve a dispute via arbitration rather than in court. But that's not at all true across the board. Having an arbitration agreement in place doesn't entirely protect an organization from going to court when employment practices are called into question. And it's not always cheaper to go the arbitration route, either...

Recent court cases might be signaling a new trend for how non-compete agreements are interpreted – one that looks at the sufficiency of the contract’s consideration, rather than its existence. Courts are now looking at the adequacy of promises within the contract to determine if employers’ offers in exchange for a signed agreement might be inadequate.

What subject is your organization's sacred cow? If there's a process or institution or piece of wisdom deemed immune from question or criticism, consider why. It may be the very thing that needs retooling or the ticket to your next great opportunity. In growth-oriented organizations, nothing can be above refinement.