A selection of news items, journal articles and other publications dealing with issues of interest to board members of companies, including governance, pensions and employment.
CIPD members also have free online access to over 330 leading HR, training and management journals, our selection of 15 journals dealing especially with corporate governance, and articles in our own People Management.
News items
Updated 9 January 2009
BERR has issued new guidance on calling general meetings on 14 days’ notice after 3 August 2009.
The Pensions Regulator has published the update for 2008 of the Pensions Universe Risk Profile (Purple Book).
The Association of British Insurers has changed its guidance on share issues.
Business in the Community (BITC) has produced a report – Race to the top – which reveals that those from black or minority ethnic backgrounds still have little hope of finding a place in the boardroom.
A ‘final’ report from the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA) covers its latest annual survey of pension trends in small firms.
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Other headlines
Updated 9 January 2009
OECD blames weakness in bank regulation as cause of the worldwide financial crisis
The OECD in its twice-yearly financial review has blasted the regulatory framework of bank regulation as "very poor" because not only did it fail to prevent the crisis but also contributed to it.
Pensions Act
Employer contributions towards pensions could be affected by the new Pensions Act.
Updated 6 January 2009
Boards warned over backlash on executive pay
A day after the Association of British Insurers issued a rare "red top alert" over bonus pay-outs at the housebuilder Bellway, Peter Montagnon, the ABI's director of investment affairs, warned that the recession should not become an excuse to relax compensation plan targets retrospectively. David Paterson, the NAPF's head of corporate governance, said: "We see the bonus as a kind of a share of profits. If there is less in the pot, then we expect the amount of bonuses to decline." The heads of most of the major UK and international banks have already said they will forgo bonuses this year in light of their losses.
FINANCIAL TIMES COMPANIES AND MARKETS, 06 JANUARY 2009, p21
Fear of falling
Francesco Guerrera and Joanna Chung write on executive pay. Amid growing anger at lavish compensation packages, Congress is preparing to legislate against the flawed incentives blamed for US corporate excess.
FINANCIAL TIMES, 06 JANUARY 2009, p11
More fitness tests for the non-exec
Reader's letter on non-executive directors.
FINANCIAL TIMES, 29 DECEMBER 2008, p8
After a year of shocks, prepare for more in 2009
Business comment by Mark Kleinman with his predictions for 2009.
Keep up to date with progress on the coming into force of the final parts of the Companies Act 2006, including draft Regulations and Regulations and Commencement Orders - made or before Parliament.
A checklist and timetable for the latest developments in employment law is available on the Members' Resource Employment Law at Work.
Daily news summaries from the national newspapers on a range of HR issues, including corporate governance, are available in our Members' Resource HR in today's newspapers.
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Journal articles
Added January 2009
Flaws at the top
An article looking at the role played by NEDs in the financial crisis of 2008 and the present state of corporate governance in UK companies.
Risk management: what do the independent directors do?
A report from Ernst & Young that looks at the policies available to independent directors (aka non-executive directors) for monitoring risk.
Independent Intelligence
A publication from Ernst & Young offering a range of articles on subjects of interest to independent directors.
Added December 2008
The Influence of Stock Market Listing on Human Resource Management: Evidence for France and Britain.
This report deals with the question of whether the listing of companies affects their approach to human resource management.
What next?
Business experts give their views on future regulation of financial rewards and compensation structures.
Why do firms appoint CEOs as outside directors?
A working paper examining what guides the decision making of those who appoint CEOs to boards.
Added November 2008
Navigating the board
Baroness Kingsmill offers advice to those thinking of taking on a NED role and describes some of her own experiences.
Added October 2008
Developing directors
An article on the trainingzone.co.uk website looking critically at how the recent spate of corporate failures may be due to the shortcomings of boards of directors.
An absence of strategy
Reflects on the importance of the role of non-executive directors in the ability of companies to survive an economic downturn
Added July 2008
Corporate governance: better compliance helps the bottom line
Focuses on the non-compliance of some Irish companies with the Code of Corporate Governance. Infers that good governance benefits all company stakeholders.
Reviewing directors’ fees
An article from New Zealand Management which concludes that the benefit of having steady governance is worth the cost of directors’ fees considering the size of company revenues.
The fatal flaw in pay for performance
Looks at ‘pay for performance’ compensation plans for US chief executive officers and outlines the duties of boards of directors when evaluating executive ability.
Why aren’t there more women on boards?
Argues for the inclusion of women on corporate boards because of the business experience and cultural perspective they can bring.
The Companies Act 2006
Discusses the act which brings in statutory duties for directors of corporations, and also concerns about documentation, frivolous lawsuits and business review.
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