Research by a provider of audit, tax and consulting services has found that only 21% of board members think corporate governance is critical for a business to achieve success.
The findings by RSM also revealed that 96 per cent of company Board members it surveyed expected to see an increase in the number of criminal prosecutions of those senior executives and organisations implicated for poor risk management.
The issue of corporate governance has been under review by the FRC (Financial Reporting Council) for some time following high-profile collapses of businesses like BHS, Patisserie Valerie, Carillion and most recently Thomas Cook.
In its most recent annual report, the FRC found that that “audit quality is still not consistently reaching the necessary high standards expected”.
More than a year ago, a review of the FRC itself led by Sir John Kingman proposed the establishment of a new regulator, the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority, but this was not acted upon by the Government before business was suspended pending the outcome of the forthcoming general election.
Concerns about corporate governance have also been raised by a Government committee, the business, energy and industrial strategy select committee which has called on ministers to move faster to reform the audit profession, strengthen corporate governance and curb executive pay.
Among its findings were that “too often, audit teams appear prepared to accept what management tells them rather than questioning its plausibility and drawing on specialists to form their own view”.
Corporate Governance refers to the way in which companies are governed and to what purpose. It identifies who has power and accountability, and who makes decisions. It is meant to take account of the interests of not only the business but its shareholders and stakeholders.
In July 2018, the FRC revised its corporate governance code, which was to apply to the accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019.
According to the FRC the new code was designed to focus “on the application of the Principles [Code] and reporting on outcomes achieved. For the Code’s Provisions, companies should disclose how they have complied with these or provide an explanation appropriate to their individual circumstances.”
Clearly, more robust measures are going to be needed if the RSM research findings are any indication of the attitudes of business directors to the idea of responsible corporate governance.
Interestingly the IoD (Institute of Directors) yesterday launched what it called its manifesto for the next government to restore trust in corporate Britain. It included a proposal for a new Public Service Corporation to restore trust in the outsourcing sector, reforms to the regulation of auditors and replacing the FRC with a new, stronger Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority.
Changing corporate behaviour is a challenge, especially when it is so entrenched, but there is nothing like the threat of criminal proceedings to focus a board of directors given that in law they are collectively responsible for the decisions, behaviour and actions of any one director. The role of non-execs is key.
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