Investors, lenders, regulators and the public expect boards to do far more than approve budgets. They must set direction, challenge management, oversee risk and ensure that the organisation complies with the laws and codes that apply to it. In many institutions, however, directors join boards with little induction, receive late or poor information, and find that committees duplicate work or drift without clear mandates.

Governance and Compliance in Corporate Governance & Board Effectiveness Training Course addresses these weaknesses directly. Participants begin with the principles and models of corporate governance and the legal and ethical duties of directors. They then analyse board composition, the division of responsibility between board and management, and the way committees should be set up and held to account. Later sessions deal with risk and internal control oversight, compliance frameworks, conflicts of interest, stakeholder engagement, board evaluation and succession.

The programme draws on board documents, governance scorecards and short case studies from listed companies, state corporations and nonprofits. Participants finish with a governance gap analysis and an improvement plan they can take to their own board or committee chair.

After the course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the principles, theories and codes that underpin sound corporate governance.
• Describe the fiduciary, statutory and ethical duties of directors and how to discharge them.
• Design board composition and committee structures that balance skills, diversity and independence.
• Clarify the roles of chair, chief executive and company secretary and the line between oversight and management.
• Review board packs and ask questions that test strategy, performance and risk.
• Evaluate enterprise risk, internal control and compliance systems from a board perspective.
• Manage conflicts of interest, related party transactions and whistleblowing reports.
• Carry out a board evaluation and agree improvement actions.

The course benefits people who sit on, serve or advise boards, including:

• Non-executive and executive directors
• Trustees and board members of NGOs, foundations and SACCOs
• Company secretaries and governance officers
• Chief executives and managing directors
• Chief finance officers and finance directors
• Heads of compliance, risk and internal audit
• Board members of state corporations and public agencies
• Legal counsel advising boards
• Aspiring directors preparing for board roles

Participants complete the programme with:

• A governance gap analysis for their own organisation.
• A model board committee charter to adapt.
• A board pack review checklist for sharper information.
• A conflict of interest and related party register format.
• A board evaluation questionnaire and follow-up process.
• A 90-day governance improvement plan.

Participants practise governance skills with real-style documents instead of abstract theory:

• Review of anonymised board packs, minutes and committee charters
• Case discussions of corporate and public sector governance failures
• Simulated board meetings with rotating chair and secretary roles
• Self-assessment scorecards completed on participants' own boards
• Experienced facilitators providing feedback on improvement plans

Vision Reach Global Consultancy awards a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion to delegates who attend the whole programme and take part in the practical board exercises.