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What Are The Key Qualities Of A Good Company Secretary?

A company secretary is “one of the key governance professionals within the organisation”, according to Deloitte. It is a role that has developed from its early iteration as the person who provided administrative support to the board of directors to a pivotal position within the company. Given the importance of the role, it is essential to understand the qualities of a good company secretary in order to find the right person to fill it. This article highlights the attributes needed to be an effective secretary.  In Business Day, Olayimika Phillips says that “any company desirous of long term and sustainable...

The 7 Chairing Meetings Skills That Every Chair Should Develop

Board meetings provide a number of challenges for the chairperson. They vary from handling different personalities and ensuring everyone has a say to keeping the room energised and the directors focused. All the while, the chair has to navigate these issues and facilitate the making of good decisions that benefit the organisation. This article features seven chairing meeting skills that help chairs lead board meetings in the most effective way possible.  A strong chair is essential. The Institute of Directors states that “at all meetings the chair should direct discussions towards the emergence of a consensus view and sum up...

How to Increase Board Diversity (and Reap All the Benefits)

A diverse corporate board can bring a multitude of benefits to an organisation, and that is reflected in the increased pressure on boards to become more inclusive. Indeed, some countries have diversity quotas, with France requiring at least 40% of directors to be female, for example.  And whilst this is both welcome and long overdue, the definition of diversity relating to boards is much broader than this. This article will explain more and tell you how to increase board diversity and embrace the positive outcomes of social, professional and cognitive differences.  What is board diversity and why is it important?...

5 Must-Have Items On Your Information Security Report To The Board Of Directors

With so much digital information passing in and out of businesses at all times, cybersecurity should be at the forefront of our thoughts. Cybercrime can cause financial losses, disruption and reputational damages to organisations, and that is why it is imperative that your information security report to the board of directors is as thorough as it can be.  Cybercrime can manifest in many ways. It could be through stolen equipment, weak passwords, blackmail, email phishing or any other way that criminals can gain access to a company’s digital systems. Reports say that more than 90% of cybersecurity breaches begin with...

How To Choose Software For Local Government Council Meetings

Citizens are always scrutinising local authorities to ensure they are offering the best possible value for money. This is similar to the way that shareholders demand the companies they invest in are run in a lean manner. The public want to know that the bodies who set and receive their taxes achieve efficiency in all areas from road maintenance to how they run local government council meetings.   In the UK, the Local Government Association found that only 48% of residents felt that their local council provided value for money. And with local and regional authorities making up a significant proportion...

6 Steps To Make Your Online City Council Meetings More Effective

One of the unexpected outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic was how it revolutionised the way in which we communicate. And one of the areas in which this was felt most deeply was in the world of online city council meetings. Whereas many municipalities once held their meetings in physical form only, often with very few members of the public in attendance, social distancing restrictions meant that the only way to pass important legislation was to do so online. This also made attending council meetings more accessible for the public.   Some governments enacted emergency laws to allow online council meetings where...

Electronic Voting For The Board Of Directors: Dos and Don'ts

These days, businesses are finding the most suitable people for their boards without the restrictions of distance between home and office. With shifts to hybrid ways of working and the rise in the use of electronic meeting software such as Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams, in-person board meetings are no longer a must-have. However, it’s critical to remember that many of the same rules still apply. Ultimately, each director has to fulfil their responsibilities and fiduciary duties wherever they’re voting from. This means that many of the daily tasks of the board of directors and company secretary can be managed...

What Is Good Local Governance and How To Achieve It

We often hear about governance in the context of corporate governance: the rules, practices and procedures that inform how a corporation, firm or business operates. However, governance also applies to local authorities and governments.  Local authorities and governments are appointed to take care of a district by problem-solving, making decisions and driving improvements – this could be a county council in a city, a municipality or even a school district. The scale of such authorities may surprise you; in the USA, for example, there are around 85,000 units of local government. Whether corporate or local, the relevant governance rules are...

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