Some 80% of respondents to a poll out today from The Chartered Governance Institute and governance recruitment specialist The Core Partnership have confidence in the way their board is handling the current coronavirus pandemic. Just 2% have little confidence in the way their board is responding to the crisis.

ICSA: The Chartered Governance Institute is pleased to announce that Victoria Penrice, a chartered governance professional with over thirty years of governance expertise, has been selected to be its new President, effective 1 August 2020.

According to a poll out today from The Chartered Governance Institute and governance recruitment specialist The Core Partnership, 52% of respondents will continue to work remotely for the next few months. 19% will go back to the office on a part-time basis, 19% will go back full time and an additional 10% specified another option.

The clerking role is not given the weight it deserves because the term ‘clerk’ does not reflect the important governance work that they do, according to ICSA: The Chartered Governance Institute. The term ‘governance professional’ better reflects the important advisory and supporting role that they play and the DfE should introduce the mandatory requirement in law for academy trusts above a certain threshold to employ a qualified governance professional. Furthermore, the DfE should provide guidance to ensure the remuneration of a governance professional reflects the level of responsibility required to support the board with its many legal, regulatory, educational and ethical requirements.

According to a poll by ICSA: The Chartered Governance Institute and governance recruitment specialist The Core Partnership, the majority of companies are prepared for the UK to leave Europe with no trade deal in place. Some 71% of respondents, the majority of which hail from finance, commerce and industry, said that they are very prepared for a no trade deal scenario. Just 9% are not at all prepared and an additional 20% were unsure of how prepared their organisation was at the time the poll was carried out.

The Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) convenor responsible for gathering the views of trustees on the charity accounting framework has today begun work with trustees to gain an insight into their understanding of the framework. Trustees in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are being asked to complete a questionnaire which will help to clarify their position.

Paul McCullagh, Company Secretary at Dublin-based Barclays Europe has been named Company Secretary of the Year by ICSA: The Chartered Governance Institute at the Institute’s 2020 Awards. Paul was recognised for his drive and commitment to ensure Barclays Europe is at the forefront of best practice corporate governance, something which has earned him the respect and confidence of the Board.

The winners of this year’s ICSA Awards were announced at a glittering awards dinner at the Park Lane Hilton in London last night. Hosted by comedian Simon Evans, the awards welcomed 670 of the UK’s leading governance professionals who were there to celebrate the achievements of those organisations, individuals and teams that are leading the way in good governance and corporate reporting.

We sat down with Cynthia Mora Spencer, ACG, who works for The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland.