Code for Responsible Investing an opportunity to Guide Change

The Code for Responsible Investing in South Africa (CRISA), launched last year, is due to take effect on 1 February 2012. It means that from next month, institutional investors such as pension funds and insurance companies, as well as their service providers (asset and fund managers and consultants) will have to disclose in their reporting to stakeholders the extent to which the code has been implemented.

IoDSA Advises Rethink of Executive Pay Structures

In the wake of the financial crisis, executive pay has become a hot issue globally. There is a widespread public perception that executives continue to receive excessive salaries and bloated bonuses laying off lower-level staff. This perception has been strengthened by high salaries paid to executives of financial services firms receiving bailouts funded by the taxpayer.
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Public Sector Audit Committee Forum Launched

Today saw the launch of the Public Sector Audit Committee Forum (PSACF), which aims to help the public sector source skilled and experienced audit committee members, and to help current members of public sector audit committees discharge their duties more effectively. The Forum will focus specifically on the governance and oversight roles and responsibilities of audit committees, being key pillars of governance.

BlackBerry Crash Holds Lessons for SA Directors says IoDSA

The recent BlackBerry crash should serve as a reminder to directors of the importance of IT governance and effective communication with stakeholders, says Parmi Natesan, senior governance specialist at the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa (IoDSA).
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Ignore Code on Responsible Investing at your own peril, institutional investors told

31 Aug 2011

Ignore Code on Responsible Investing at your own pail, institutional investors told The Code for Responsible Investing in South Africa (CRISA) was launched in Johannesburg in July. This makes South Africa only the second country next to the UK to formally encourage institutional investors to integrate into their investment decisions sustainability issues such as environmental, social and governance (ESG).

Money Marketing

31 August 2011

New breed of director needed after decade of stupidity', says King

18 Aug 2011

A new kind of board of directors is needed in light of pressing economic, financial, political and social demands on companies, says SA's doyen of Corporate governance, Mervyn King.

Business Ethics - A more serious approach

15 Aug 2011

A time has come for South African companies to assess the potential necessity for a social and ethics committee to guide corporate behaviour - and in doing so, may no longer be a choice but rather a mandated requirement due to prescriptions within the recently introduced Companies Act.

Ignorance no excuse, directors told

14 Aug 2011

Directors who contravened new company laws would not be able to plead before a court that they were unaware of the provisions of the law, the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa warned this week.

Investor code to promote activism

13 July 2011

An institutional shareholders code for responsible investing, which is expected to significantly strengthen the King code's governance recommendations, will be launch on 19 July 2011.

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Institute advises regular review of boards to gauge performance

An ideally constituted board of directors is strong, competent, diverse, balanced and independent, staffed by directors who have the ability to devote the appropriate time and attention to their professional duties.

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Directors advised to look out for conflicting interests

5 July 2011

The IoDSA warned yesterday of the potential conflict of interest when directors of companies were appointed by an investor or financier to represent their interests on the board of the investee company.

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'Business judgement' rule to provide some protection

24 Mar 2011

The new Companies Act contains defence mechanisms for directors who have made bad decisions at board level.(143 KB)

Call to enhance audit committee

10 Mar 2011

SA's audit committees need to become more effective in the wake of new company laws and corporate governance practices, including managing risk exposure say corporate governance analysts.(114 KB)

Succession plans key to keeping companies going

06 Mar 2011

Technology company Apple has been in the news regarding its succession planning since founder Steve Jobs announced that he would be taking medical leave. (130 KB)

More changes to those critical regulations

01 Mar 2011

In some instances the Draft Regulations propose provisions that differ extensively from the provisions contained in the earlier version of the draft Companies Regulations, 2010, published in the Government Gazette on December 22 2010 (2010 Draft Regulations).(328 KB)

Institute criticises political appointments

18 Feb 2011

The IoDSA has added its voice to those criticising companies who appoint directors to their boards on the basis of their political reach.(144 KB)

The new Companies Act - Audit & Review

11 Feb 2011

Unlike the current situation, where all companies are required to be audited, under the new Act, not all companies will be required to have their financial staments audited. (244 KB)