Corporate governance influences how the company's goals are defined and achieved, how risk is monitored and evaluated, and how performance is optimised. King IV™ promotes good corporate governance in South Africa, as does the law, and it can certainly be said that good governance and the law go hand-in-hand.
The responsibilities of directors are emphasised in King IV™ and an environment of effective and ethical leadership is promoted. Principles associated with ethical leadership include integrity; competence; responsibility; accountability; fairness and transparency.
What is the role of the professional in governance?
Professionals charged with ensuring good governance practices within an organisation play an important role in enforcing and promoting high standards of ethical behaviour, integrity and compliance. In particular, the person has a significant impact on the level and quality of the organisation's corporate governance and governance culture and often has a pivotal role in assisting the board to achieve the entity's vision and strategy.
The governance professional’s activities encompass legal and regulatory duties and obligations, as well as additional responsibilities assigned by the employer. These professionals perform their administrative roles at an executive level and are the primary source of advice on governance to their board. They are senior professionals trained in law, finance, governance, risk and strategy.
Are you an aspiring corporate governance professional?
The professional can hold different titles, depending on the organisation’s requirements. You may be called company secretary, risk manager, compliance officer, legal counsel, financial manager or governance adviser. CGISA caters to all types of governance professionals with the choice of two chartered routes namely:
- Chartered Secretary – for company secretaries
- Chartered Governance Professional – for other governance professionals
Both of these chartered designations enable professionals to serve as governance professionals within an organisation, irrespective of their specific title. A ‘chartered’ designation is used to indicate professional competence and is awarded to individuals who are skilled or qualified in a particular field of work.
Where can I study corporate governance?
The Chartered Governance Institute in South Africa (CGISA) offers an international qualification in corporate governance recognised in more than 80 countries. Wits Plus is one of the accredited skills development providers offering the programme as convenient stand-alone short courses.
This international qualifying programme for chartered secretaries and chartered governance professionals aims to respond to the continued growth and diversification of corporate governance. The programme addresses the needs of students and employers while expanding the scope of the chartered qualification.
Applications to study corporate governance courses in the second semester are open until 15 June 2023.
