Governance provides an exemplary structure for an organisation to work with. It promotes ethical behaviour, accountability and openness. It encourages economic and financial stability, social and environmental responsibility and ethical investment policies and products.
A clear governance strategy directs and guides an organisation and promotes understanding between shareholders, the Board of Directors and management - and more recently - the interests of stakeholders.
Working with us
Mazars’ Governance team are experienced in working with UK guidelines, the Combined Code and the Turnbull Report. Internationally, we comply with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Committee of Sponsoring Organisations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), the Vienot reports, the Copenhagen Charter and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
We advise Board members and senior management on systems and procedures to ensure sound governance, while fulfilling responsibilities to stakeholders.
Our recommendations are tailored to suit your company’s ethos, highlighting any weak spots and filling in any gaps as we go. Typically we work across all or some of the following areas:
- Boards, Directors and Committees
- Strategic documents and plans
- Risk management
- Inspection systems such as internal audit, health and safety, customer service and human resources
- Systems
- Financial management
- Budgeting
Our services include
- constructing an overall framework to achieve sound corporate governance
- your governance arrangements, benchmarking them against the Combined Code and best practice and recommending improvements
- reviewing existing performance evaluation procedures for the Board, Committees and Directors and making recommendations
- assisting with the training and development of non-executive directors, including induction training
- assisting with the selection of high quality non-executive directors
- reviewing your risk management and internal control procedures, gauging them against the Turnbull report and the COSO frameworks for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance
As a result, your organisation benefits from corporate governance by:
- a robust structure through which your organisation’s vision and mission are outlined and strategies are achieved
- stronger information systems, efficient operations and allocation of resources
- improved accountability and transparency
- the promotion of ethical behaviour and long-term sustainability
- improved relationships between stakeholders
- agreement of objectives and goals by the board, management and shareholders
- increased confidence from investors, enhancing your ability to attract stable sources of finance from local and international capital markets
- increased confidence amongst existing and potential trading partners, leading to local and cross-border trade and favourable credit terms
- an efficient framework that keeps outgoing costs to a minimum
