Resources
Boards need to understand their organisation's key drivers of profitability
JUNE 2009
This is the fourth in a series of boardroom perspectives based on the views of 625 directors who sit on 79 different Australian and New Zealand boards. It deals with boardroom perspectives on whether boards are making measurable impacts on long term performance by making significant contributions to their organisations direction, strategy and planning.
Little has been known about what happens behind the boardroom door in relation to setting the organisations direction. This research report now shows that most boards are getting the long term direction pretty much right, but some boards need to do better with their consideration, understanding and sign-off of their organisation's strategic plans.
Boards need to improve the performance culture of their organisations
MAY 2009
This is the third in a series of boardroom perspectives based on the views of 625 directors who sit on 79 different Australian and New Zealand boards. It deals with boardroom perspectives on the performance management systems and culture of their organisations.
The Global Financial Crisis provides organisations with a good opportunity to recalibrate their thinking around what is important in terms of performance management systems and culture.
Boards must provide leadership and direction in relation to these very important issues and firm oversight of setting review processes.
CEO remuneration: A boardroom perspective
An Insync Surveys study in conjunction with Board Benchmarking
APRIL 2009
This is the second in a series of boardroom perspectives based on the views of 625 directors who sit on 79 different Australian and New Zealand boards. It deals with boardroom perspectives on CEO performance, CEO and senior management remuneration and the performance management systems and culture of their organisations.
The remuneration and in particular, the bonus packages of CEOs and senior management have been in the spotlight across the globe in recent times. It will probably take some time before the community, shareholders, boards and management get on the same page in terms of what constitutes an appropriate remuneration package. The Global Financial Crisis provides organisations with a good opportunity to recalibrate their thinking around what remuneration packages are appropriate and what is important in terms of performance management systems and culture.
Boards must provide leadership and direction in relation to these very important issues and firm oversight of the setting and review processes.
Risk management in the boardroom
An Insync Surveys study in conjunction with Board Benchmarking
DECEMBER 2008
Introduction
Views of 625 directors who sit on 79 different Australian and New Zealand boards are shared in this comprehensive study about risk management in their own organisations.
The spotlight is likely to shine more brightly on risk management as economic times become more difficult and volatile. With a tightening economic climate, governments, shareholders, directors and management should expect a significant increase in scrutiny over the next few years. Oversight and review of the risk management practices and culture, in all types of organisations, are paramount. Boards must provide appropriate leadership and direction in relation to these important issues.
Key findings
This study has revealed that:
- most directors (83%) believe they set the right "tone at the top" for their organisations but there are large gaps in perceptions of the "right tone" between directors under 45 years (with just 66% agreeing) and over 64 years (with an overwhelming 90% agreeing) (page 7)
- some boards and management need to do more to get on the same page in relation to their organisation's risk appetite, with only 49% of directors overall saying their board and management have an agreed view on the organisation's risk appetite for each significant risk (page 8)
- some boards can do more to ensure their organisations have appropriate risk management systems, including an appropriate risk culture, internal controls and compliance procedures; with over half of the 625 directors in the research sample either disagreeing or not sure that their organisation has an effective enterprise risk management system (page 9 to 12)
- directors under 45 years of age are considerably more critical of their organisations than directors over 64, with a difference in perception of up to 35%, in terms of internal control systems and compliance procedures (page 11 and 12)