Expert Tips for Communicating During a Crisis

A brief published by the National Association of Corporate Directors takes a serious look at the critical interaction between the general counsel and the board during a crisis.

The information contained in the brief was captured from an in-depth discussion of Fortune 500 board leaders.

The publication, titled “Communicating in Times of Crisis: Insights From Fortune 500 Committee Chairs,” can be downloaded from the NACD website at no charge.

It addresses the question: How can the general counsel manage the timing of communications with stakeholders and balance the need for transparency with the organization’s risk appetite—amid an ongoing investigation?

Download the brief.

 

 




Assess Your Risk Appetite: Complimentary Report

National Association of Corporate DirectorsThe National Association of Corporate Directors Advisory Council on Risk Oversight met in February 2017 to discuss the board’s role in the development and oversight of risk appetite. NACD offers a complimentary copy of the report.

The discussion – cohosted by NACD, PwC, and Sidley Austin LLP – highlighted a number of takeaways for directors:

  • Align the risk appetite statement with company strategy.
  • Use the risk appetite statement to inform critical processes and decisions.
  • Continually reevaluate the risk appetite statement.

The NACD Advisory Council on Risk Oversight: Board-Management Dialogue on Risk Appetite resource can help boards to take the following steps:

  • Determine which metrics to use in the risk appetite statement.
  • Establish performance targets in incentive plans that promote high performance and limit unhealthy risk-taking.
  • Shape company culture by defining tolerance levels for risk.
  • Improve communication across the company and boost reporting to the board.

Download complimentary copy of the report.

 

 




Download: Eight Practices to Oversee Risk Effectively

Risk managementThe National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) has published a complimentary executive summary of “Eight Key Practices for Overseeing Risk Management.”

“As the number and magnitude of business risks increase, so do the expectations for stronger risk oversight — through both greater board awareness of risk and more disciplined board review of enterprise-risk management,” the NACD says on its website.

The reports offers key practices that all directors can use to oversee risk more effectively, such as:

  • Clarify the roles of the board, committees, and management.
  • Understand the company’s risk profile.
  • Define the company’s risk appetite.

Download the executive summary.

 

 




A Better D&O Questionnaire – Learn How

Question-and-answerThe Center for Board Excellence is offering a free whitepaper that describes moving the directors and officers questionnaire process to a dynamic online system.

CBE says the paper explains how to save time and money by moving the D&O questionnaire online to:

  • Reduce the number of questions
  • Make them easier to follow and answer
  • Turn definitions and schedules into dynamic flyovers or online links

“Focus particularly on the cost of your Directors’ and Officers’ time,” CBE suggests. “How much time did it take them to complete the process? How many irrelevant questions did they have to read and skip over? How many definitions did they have to look up in an appendix? Add to that the time it took you to compile the questionnaire and parse the results only to find that three forms came back incomplete.”

Download the paper or request a demo.

 

 




Download: How to Ensure Organizational Resiliency

National Association of Corporate DirectorsThe National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) has published for download “How to Ensure Organizational Resiliency,” a featured article in the latest issue of NACD Directorship magazine.

The article explores what directors think boards can do to ensure a company’s survival — despite high rates of business failure.

NACD Directorship magazine, a leading source of boardroom intelligence and corporate governance information for board directors, is an exclusive benefit of NACD membership, but General Counsel News readers are invited to download a complimentary copy.

Download the article.

 

 




Three Areas Where Boards Can Improve Performance

In a new on-demand video, TK Kerstetter, host of “Inside America’s Boardrooms,” reviews three areas where many boards can improve their performance and effectiveness. Topics include board composition & leadership, board evaluations, and shareholder engagement.

Kerstetter also discusses PwC’s recent Annual Corporate Directors Survey, which reported that 39 percent of directors feel that at least one fellow board member should be replaced.

Ty Francis, EVP & Group Publisher of the Ethisphere Institute, joins in the discussion.

Watch the video.

 

 




M&A and Transaction Risk Oversight Examined

National Association of Corporate DirectorsM&A deal volume in the U.S. reached a record high in 2015, reports the National Association of Corporate Directors. The NACD is offering a complimentary copy of the summary from a recent meeting of the NACD Advisory Council on Risk Oversight, which focused on the board’s oversight of M&A transactions including understanding the board’s role during a transaction, identifying questions to consider when evaluating potential deals, and establishing a process for determining transaction success.

Topics covered include:

  • Engaging management about possible deals
  • Determining if a proposed deal advances company strategy
  • Identifying culture and talent risks
  • Measuring the success of a transaction
  • Establishing effective oversight processes

Download the summary.