Corporate Governance

Corporate governance improves, but India Inc must go beyond compliance

The survey showed 44 per cent of the Nifty 100 companies had between 50 and 74 per cent of NEDs, up from 35 per cent in FY21

Sebi mulls steps to facilitate ease of doing biz for ESG Rating Providers

Markets regulator Sebi has proposed tweaking framework for ESG Rating Providers (ERPs), particularly for those using a subscriber-pays model, including an exemption from the requirement to disclose ESG ratings to stock exchanges. Additionally, the regulator has suggested that ERPs using a subscriber-pays model should share ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) rating reports with both subscribers and the rated issuer simultaneously. This policy should be publicly disclosed. ERPs should ensure that rated entities, their group companies, or associates cannot subscribe to their own ESG ratings, Sebi said in its consultation paper. These proposals are aimed at enhancing the clarity, transparency, and regulatory alignment of ESG ratings within Sebi's framework. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had introduced regulations for ERPs in July 2023, but ERPs have sought clarifications on certain provisions, particularly for those using a subscriber-pays model, and ...

It's collective responsibility to improve corporate governance: NFRA Chief

National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) Chairperson Ajay Bhushan Prasad Pandey on Thursday underscored the need for improving corporate governance and aligning Indian auditing with global standards to attract investors. Observing that there is a need to continue to take cognizance of corporate governance reforms, he said company management, independent directors and audit committee, statutory auditors, shareholders, and regulators constitute five lines of defence to improve corporate governance. "It is our collective responsibility...we should continue to create trust. Improve the corporate governance, and we should work in that direction," he said, addressing an event organised by industry chamber Assocham here. Adopting global auditing standards would improve the trust of global investors in the Indian economy, which is on its way to becoming the third largest from the present fifth position, he said. Making a pitch to align Indian audit practices with the global standards,

Corporate governance: Should govt be market-friendly or business-friendly

Political acceptability comes more readily to a govt visibly involved in supporting non-corporate private sector, reducing income inequalities and regional disparities, and addressing caste concerns

Hindenburg receives show cause notice from Sebi over Adani issue

The short seller alleges 'surreptitious aid' to Adani Group by Sebi

Large MFs less likely to confront promoters in voting on resolutions

Fund houses are becoming assertive in general and the trend could be helping corporate governance

Companies finding innovative ways to rotate independent directors

Rotation within group firms, replacing father with sons, and roping in ex-staffers among innovative ways used by companies to replace independent directors (IDs)

How CXO coaches have become vital in navigating modern corporate complexity

The coveted corner room comes with intense loneliness. A leadership coach helps CXOs grasp the enormity of the role and cope with the challenges

Need huge pool of company secretaries to manage capital flow: ICSI chief

As the Indian economy progresses towards the USD 5 trillion target over the next two years and the USD 10 trillion target by 2030, the demand for company secretaries will be tremendous to manage the inflow of capital both from the Indian and international investors, a top domain expert said on Friday. "We have to increase the pool of Company Secretaries (CS) to 95,000 by 2030 and to 1.4 lakh by 2047, the year of Viksit Bharat economy driven by capital flow and the government-initiated infrastructure development, B Narasimhan, President of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), said here. Currently, ICSI has around 70,000 CS members and over 2 lakh students, he told PTI. Narasimhan gave an insight into the aspects resonating with the Indian economy. We, as CS, are the most recognised profession in the capital market, handling compliances across the board of listed and unlisted companies. SEBI has appointed us as the compliance offices and it is mandatory, he said. Ca

PSUs score lowest in compliance, corporate governance: IiAS report

As of December 2023, IiAS reported the strongest Corporate Governance Score performance for BSE100 since assessments commenced in 2016

Colonial legacy: Corporate control is a 200-year-old problem in India

Many of today's Indian conglomerates also began life this way. In 1958, more than a decade after the departure of British rulers, the Tata Group had nine agencies managing 60 companies

Elon Musk slams Delaware, hints at Tesla move to Texas after pay snub

Musk said states such as Nevada and Texas, where Tesla's headquarters is located, are "better for letting shareholders decide" corporate-governance issues such as pay packages

Company Secretaries required for corporate laws formulation: LS Speaker

Company secretaries have a major role to play in the country's corporate governance structure in the country and their expertise is required for better formulation of corporate laws, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Friday. He was speaking at the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) national awards for excellence in corporate governance function in the national capital. "The ICSI and its members have a major role to play in the formulation of Corporate Governance Structure of the country as the wisdom and expertise of company secretaries is required for the better formulation of corporate laws," Birla was quoted as saying in a release issued by the ICSI. Birla mentioned about the complexities in the processes of corporate governance and the amendments that are made therein, and urged industry experts to help in capacity building. According to him, the excellence of corporate governance depends on company secretaries, as through their work they ensure transparency in t

SC judgment gives Sebi final say on securities violations: Law firms

For proxy advisory firm Institutional Investor Advisory Services (IiAS), the pending Supreme Court investigation was a matter of concern from the auditing point of view

Upping corporate governance premium in private banks: What to expect

The bigger picture is that the gap in corporate governance standards between state-run and private banks is widening

OECD gives governance a refresh

The 2023 update to G20 and OECD's corporate governance norms signals progressive changes in our markets

Top-flight PSB boards needed for resilience

Asset quality of lenders has improved, but financial resilience in a system is best built in good times. It is time for the RBI to press the governance accelerator

TMS Ep542: Job market, corporate governance, IT stocks, Operation Ajay

What explains the duality in India's job market? Are Indian family businesses serious about governance? Should investors buy the dips in IT stocks? What is Operation Ajay? All answers here

Rededicate to better corporate governance: FM tells company secretaries

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday urged company secretaries to rededicate themselves for better corporate governance, as India gears to become a developed nation by 2047. Addressing the 55th Foundation Day of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), the finance minister said it is time to "rededicate ourselves for and towards better corporate governance... we cannot see our value systems being diluted... corporate governance is an issue on which all of us are committed." Praising ICSI, she said, the high standard set by the institute is well recognised across the world. She appreciated the decision of the ICSI to waive off registration fee for Agniveer, defence personnel and families of martyrs for enrollment in company secretaries course. The other decision, to donate Rs 11 lakh for the education of daughters of martyrs, is also praiseworthy, she noted. The Finance Minister said the government has taken significant steps to promote ease of doing busine

Corporate governance issue wake-up call for startups: Shantanu Deshpande

Corporate governance should be seen as a collective and unit responsibility of all stakeholders involved in a startup, Shantanu Deshpande, founder of Bombay Shaving Company has said. He added that any lapses or deviations are a wake-up call for the ecosystem and are "deeply saddening". On funding winter, Deshpande told PTI that good companies will continue to attract capital, although they may not get a "bullish valuation" at this stage as scrutiny increases and investors turn more careful with their bets. Deshpande, who is also CEO of homegrown personal care brand Bombay Shaving Company, belongs to a growing tribe of outspoken founders scaling up new-age companies in India. Asked about the cases of corporate governance lapses in the Indian startup landscape, he said 'bad form' in companies is also a unit, collective issue and not about doing postmortems on singular data points. Corporate governance issues are "critical to fix", and the onus cannot be on the founders alone. "It is