BEC 2 - Corporate Governance, Internal Control, & Enterprise Risk Management Flashcards
What is role of Corporate Governance?
to make sure that certain objectives are met while the stakeholders needs and concerns are being addressed
What is the Board of Directors responsible for?
- Strategic Planning
- Selection/Oversight of management (compensation & monitoring)
- Dividend Policy
- Treasury Stock
- Budget Approvals
Traits about the Principles of Corporate Governance
- Developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD)
- 6 Key Areas (ES-ES-DB)
- Effective Corporate Governance Framework
- Shareholder Rights and Ownership Functions
- Equitable Treatment of Shareholders
- Stakeholders Role in Corporate Governance
- Disclosure & Transparency
- Board Responsibilities
Traits about the 1992 Cadbury Report
Relates to Corporate Governance
- Voluntary Code
- Companies listed on the London Stock Exchange and required comply or explain the extant of compliance (why and why not)
- Clear Division of responsibility at the top OR strong independent element on the Board
- Majority of Board should be outside Directors
- Board Compensation should be determined by non-exec. directors
- Board should select at Least 3 Non-Executive Directors on the Audit Committee
ES-ES-DB?
6 Key Areas of The OECD Principles of Corporate Governance
- Effective Corporate Governance Framework
- Shareholder Rights and Ownership Functions
- Equitable Treatment of Shareholders
- Stakeholders Role in Corporate Governance
- Disclosure & Transparency
- Board Responsibilities
What is Effective Corporate Governance Framework?
1st Key Area of OECD Principles of Corporate Governance
- should promote transparent and efficient markets
- be consistent with the rule of law
- clearly articulate the division of responsibilities among different supervisory, regulatory, and enforcement agencies
What is Shareholder Rights and ownership functions?
2nd Key Area of OECD Principles of Corporate Governance
- protect and facilitate the exercise of shareholders rights
What is Equitable Treatment of Shareholders?
3rd Key Area of OECD Principles of Corporate Governance
- all shareholders should have the opportunity to obtain redress for violation of their rights
What are the Stakeholders Role in Corporate Governance?
4th Key Area of OECD Principles of Corporate Governance
- recognize the rights of STAKEholders established by law or through mutual agreements
- cooperation b/w corporations and STAKEholders for overall wealth
What is Disclosure and Transparency?
5th Key Area of OECD Principles of Corporate Governance
- timely and accurate disclosure is made on all material matters regarding the corporation
- Includes: Financial Performance, Situation, Ownership, and Governance of the company
What are the Board Responsibilities?
6th Key Area of OECD Principles of Corporate Governance
- strategic guidance
- effective monitoring
- board’s accountability to the company and shareholders
Where does the Board get their authority and responsibilities from?
The Bylaws (internal rules of the Company) which becomes the corporate charter when approved with the Articles of Incorporation. Includes:
- Min and Max # of Directions
- Selection and compensation
- How often they should meet
- nature of the responsibilities
What are typical Duties of the Board of Directors?
- Fiduciary Duty & in Best Interest of the company
- Determine/Revise the mission and amend bylaws
- Strategic Planning & development of broad objectives and policies
- Selection and oversight of the CEO
- Securing the availability of Financial Resources
- Budget Approval
- Approval of Major Operating & Financial Proposals
- Accounting to STAKEholders (reliable financial info is reported)
- Advise to mgmt and determine mgmt compensation
- Dividend Policy
- Requiring Treasury Stock
NYSE and NASDAQ listed company requirements related to the Board of Directors
- Majority of Directors are required to be Independent
- Info must be provided to investors regarding Director Independence
- Non-Mgmt Directors are required to meet a on a REGULARLY SCHEDULED basis
- Directors must adopt and publish a code of conduct applicable to ALL PARTIES within an entity disclosing any waivers to directors or officers
- maintain an INDEPENDENT Audit Committee
- Must ID any relationships that automatically indicate a director that IS NOT INDPENDENT
A Director is NOT independent if:
- Recent employee/affiliate of the entity OR Former partner/employee of the external auditor
OR - A Family Member or Director received more than $120,000 from the corp (excluding director fees) for any 12-month period within the last 3 YEARS
OR - A Family member was a recent officer of the entity (5 Years NYSE, 3 Years NASDAQ)
OR - The Director is the executive of another entity that receives significant amounts of REVENUE from the entity
Business Judgement Rule
Director or Manager has protection against liability (LOSSES) when fulfilling fiduciary duty… Fraud is usually only reason the courts will go to trial
What do the Articles of Incorporation Include?
- Name, Address, and Purpose of The Company
- Registering Agent (“attorney”)
- Name & Address of each incorporator
- # of shares AUTHORIZED
- Types of Stock
What Committees are required for Publicly Held Companies?
NAC
- Nominating Committee
- Auditing Committee
- Compensation Committee
What is the Nominatee Committee do?
- Responsible for overall corporate Governance
- Determine director suitability for service on the BoD
- Developing and Suggesting Corp. Gov. Principles and policies
- Oversee CEO Succession
- Enhance quality of board nominees
- Ensure integrity in nominating process
What is the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act?
- ” Dodd-Frank”
- requires disclosure about whether or not the chair of the BoD is also the CEO
- Must also explain why or why they are not the same individual
What is “Dodd-Frank”?
- Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
- requires disclosure about whether or not the chair of the BoD is also the CEO
- Must also explain why or why they are not the same individual
What is the Audit Committee?
- Required Committee in the Board of Directors
- Must be composed of INDEPENDENT Directors
- At least 1 member must be a FINANCIAL EXPERT (if there is not, must explain why not)
- Oversee the Financial Reporting process (reliable and timely to stakeholders)
- Select the External Auditor (det. compensation and oversee)
- Receive internal and external audit results
- Internal Control Responsibilities
Who does the External Auditor Report to?
- Report directly to the Audit Committee
What are the Audit Committee’s Internal Control responsibilities?
- oversee the establishment of appropriate controls
- Prevention and detection of fraud programs
- maintain code of ethics
- establish procedures for dealing with complains about accounting, internal control, or audit matters
- facilitate a process for employees to anonymously and confidentially express accounting concerns (WHISTLEBLOWERS)