[Meta Description/Card copy]

The Chartered Governance Institute has today published updated guidance about company AGMs and the impact of Covid-19, which reflects the Government ban on public gatherings of more than two people.

The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland has published guidance about virtual board meetings, which aims to help companies struggling with the impact of COVID-19. Drafted in conjunction with Lorraine Young Board Advisory Services, the guidance highlights the key points to bear in mind so that companies can use virtual meetings to good effect while the ban on public meetings is in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland has today published new Terms of Reference for risk committees, which are intended as a guide for companies to adapt to their needs where the board decides it is necessary or desirable to have a separate risk committee.

The Chartered Governance Institute has welcomed today’s release by the Education & Skills Funding Agency of its ‘Academies financial handbook 2020’, in which the role of the clerk is recognised for the important advisory support that it brings to academy trusts.

The Chartered Governance Institute has today published guidance about ‘Shareholder meetings under the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020’. The guidance has been drafted by a Working Party of the City of London Law Society Company Law Committee and the Institute, with the support of GC100, the Investment Association and the Quoted Companies Alliance. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Financial Reporting Council have both endorsed the guidance, which is an updated version of guidance about AGMs issued by the Institute in March 2020.

ICSA: The Chartered Governance Institute is delighted that the government has extended the flexibilities around the arrangement of company meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic included in the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (the Act) to 30 December 2020.

The Chancellor's first budget contained much which had already been trailed over the previous days. Although there was some better news on the economy, it’s clear that we are still in difficult times.

Friday 5 February saw the leaking of a white paper on health and social care reform. Given the interest in the NHS and its future approach to systems working, some of the principles aired in the document may be of interest to governance professionals.