We are really pleased that the government listened to the case ProShare has been making consistently over the last few years and that the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, included a full Call for Evidence on SIP and SAYE in his first Spring Budget.

Even without the broadening of the application of s172 of the Companies Act 2006, the power and reach of social media and the interconnectedness of societies as a consequence of globalisation has given all organisations the cause to reflect on their operational models, values and priorities.

Of interest to all involved in the arrangement of meetings.

On 16 October, the UK government announced it had withdrawn the draft Companies (Strategic Report and Directors’ Report) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, which were laid in Parliament on 19 July.

As mentioned in previous Technical Briefings, on 24 May, the Financial Reporting Council published its long anticipated consultation on the UK Corporate Governance Code, the intention of which is to focus on the legislative and governance reforms that the Government proposed in its May 2022 white paper “Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance”. These are designed, amongst other things, to “support the FRC’s transition into the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA).”

On 24 May, the Financial Reporting Council has published its long anticipated consultation on the UK Corporate Governance Code, the intention of which is to focus on the legislative and governance reforms that the Government proposed in its May 2022 white paper “Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance”.

Companies House published two stakeholder newsletters in December.

The Charity Commission has been working hard to make its guidance more accessible to trustees. Better governance and compliance around key areas for trustee decision-making is the prize.

The introduction of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (“ECCTA”) and its “failure to prevent fraud” offence marks a significant shift in how businesses must operate to avoid legal repercussions and maintain their integrity