The Governance 2026 conference brings together governance professionals and experts to share practical insights, new research and evolving priorities shaping the future of governance practice.

In this comment piece, Leigh Smyth FRSA, Founder of ImpactMatch, Co-Founder of ActionAble, and Trustee at Abiltynet, examines why social impact is fundamental to good leadership, good governance and successful business.

Over the past six years I have had the extraordinary privilege of guiding the Institute as Chief Executive. Now I am stepping down, I can reflect on what a period of profound change it has been.

Governance in media organisations faces intense pressures where trust, editorial independence and political influence collide. From the BBC’s recent turmoil to Fox News’s costly settlement, boards across the sector are under scrutiny as they navigate a landscape where governance principles come under the spotlight.

In this Comment piece, the Institute's Head of Policy Kayla Schembri argues that modern slavery has moved from a transparency exercise to a board-level accountability test – and many organisations still haven’t caught up.