Research

New research from The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (CGIUKI) has highlighted a significant gap in the legal and governance framework governing extended leave, raising concerns about accountability and responsibility when trustees, directors and other statutory officeholders step away from their duties for prolonged periods.

Boards need to discuss the issues and take the decisions that have a bearing on the long-term success of their organisation. Yet research from the Institute and Board Intelligence suggests that in many organisations board packs are a barrier to such discussions, rather than an aid. Too often they are dominated by inward- and backward-looking detail, rather than the sort of information that will help the board to plan its future strategy. Furthermore, the sheer volume of information that board and committee members are presented with makes it unlikely they can read it all, let alone absorb it or pick out the key issues.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping corporate governance, but adoption is outpacing oversight. Across sectors, organisations are embedding AI into operational processes while governance frameworks lag behind, creating a structural gap between how decisions are made and how accountability is exercised.

Board Behavioural Dynamics is the Board’s ability to come together effectively as a collective body. This Handbook describes how to deliver Board Behavioural Dynamics to optimise Boards of large, highly regulated organisations across multiple jurisdictions.

Although 63% of companies cite people-related risks including staff and skills retention as one of their principal risks only 35% of company secretaries say their executive pipeline has a sustainable pool of talent.

Further insights on effective governance in uncertain times

Engaging an independent reviewer can bring greater objectivity and fresh insights to the process, and to help the board identify any issues that it might need to address. It can also provide some reassurance to stakeholders that the board takes its responsibilities seriously.

Our thought leadership is based on a quantitative survey of 130 governance professionals, 26 qualitative interviews with organisations across several different sectors, and an analysis of committees amongst the FTSE 100