Baroness Berridge, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System, has acknowledged the vital role that governance professionals play in academy trusts and confirmed that more widely promoting and supporting the role of the governance professional in trusts is at the top of the DfE’s priorities for this year.

ICSA: The Chartered Governance Institute and leading charity lawyers VWV have today published a practical ‘how to’ guide for charities approaching their first virtual or hybrid annual general meeting (AGM) as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures. The guidance is predominantly for charitable companies limited by guarantee (CLGs) and charitable incorporate organisations (CIOs) and relates to the flexibilities extended to charities by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA) until 30 March 2021.

Governance professionals in 2021 will be focusing their attention primarily on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters, remote working risk, climate change and diversity this year, according to a poll by ICSA: The Chartered Governance and governance recruitment specialist The Core Partnership. Of these, ESG is seen as the top priority, with the majority of respondents stating that it would be the biggest area of governance focus for 2021.

ICSA: The Chartered Governance Institute has today welcomed the benevolent approach to charity trustees that today’s Kids Company verdict has upheld, whilst recognising that the 221-page verdict contains important lessons for all those involved in the governance of charities. Overall, the judgement underscores the importance of good governance: of effective oversight, training, assurance and risk management, all of which is best supported by a governance professional.

The Isle of Man Branch of ICSA: The Chartered Governance Institute has today announced details of a webinar that is running on 24 February 2021 to helps its members and other interested parties learn more about how they can thrive in extraordinary times. Attendees will hear tips from Justin Tipper, a leading local management and leadership trainer, coach and therapist, who will explain how people can use the experience of COVID to build their pools of perseverance, calmness and self-reliance.

ICSA: The Chartered Governance Institute has today published new guidance about company AGMs and the impact of Covid-19, which reflects the continuing impact of the coronavirus pandemic on companies’ ability to hold physical general meetings. Prepared in association with the City of London Law Society Company Law Committee and Martin Moore QC, with the support of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Financial Reporting Council, the guidance offers advice on how listed companies might hold meetings during the 2021 AGM season.

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Responding to today's Budget, ProShare – the body representing employee share ownership (ESO) in the UK – said that the absence of reforms to all-employee share plans was "disappointing". By choosing not to introduce changes to the way the Share Incentive Plan (SIP) and Save As You Earn (SAYE) plans operate the Chancellor had "missed a big opportunity" to drive up employee share ownership in the UK.

ICSA: The Chartered Governance Institute has today published the findings of a survey of charity trustees in the UK and Republic of Ireland which shows that there is a considerable desire for there to be clearer and simpler guidance about reporting. The survey also reflects some level of concern that reporting requirements are too long and complicated for a non-financial trustee.