The International Compliance Association (ICA), the leading professional body for the global regulatory and financial crime compliance community, today relaunched the ICA Specialist Certificate in Corporate Governance – a course designed to provide an understanding of the requirements and principles of good corporate governance.
Severe shortcomings in corporate governance are an ongoing issue. In recent years HSBC, BNP Paribas, Uber, Apple and Danske among others, have fallen foul of serious governance issues. High profile corporate scandals have resulted in significant damage to communities, heavy regulatory penalties, and many stakeholders asking why directors and senior management did not do more to prevent the failures.
The restrictions imposed by many governments all over the world in handling the COVID-19 outbreak have raised significant challenges across administration, communication, business continuity and disaster recovery for organisations today[1]. Companies in 2020 are increasing their focus on the environmental and social (E&S) aspects of corporate governance[2], with Boards being expected to strengthen their oversight and knowledge of material E&S matters and disclose their connection to the business in the form of risks and opportunities.
The ICA Specialist Certificate in Corporate Governance is an online course covering effective governance systems and governance roles, the interconnectedness of corporate governance with culture and the need for defined roles and responsibilities, as well as the digital revolution and its influence on governance. Those who study the course will develop a sound understanding of the history and ongoing development of corporate governance, the relevance of high-profile corporate failures, current rules, planned changes and future trends in this space.
ICA President Bill Howarth commented: ‘As a result of the coronavirus pandemic many companies are facing difficult decisions concerning resource allocation, risk appetite and supply chains. Against this backdrop, it is crucial that all professionals at middle to senior management level understand the key elements of good corporate governance so they can assess and design frameworks that serve their firm’s objectives and improve performance.’
Find out more about this course here.
[1] ‘COVID-19: Some considerations relating to Corporate Governance’, PwC, Last accessed 21/10/2020 Link
[2] ‘2020 Global and Regional Corporate Governance Trends’, Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance, Last accessed 21/10/2020, Link