Corporate Secretary
Corporate Governance Awards

Corporate Governance Awards
Celebrating excellence

Thursday, November 11, 2021

About the awards

 

Corporate Secretary’s annual Corporate Governance Awards brings together industry professionals in the governance, risk and compliance world to celebrate the best of the best.

For our awards, individuals and companies have the opportunity to nominate themselves or others, free of charge, for a variety of key aspects of GRC. More information about the categories, criteria, and judging process can be found in the sections below.

Further details about the 2021 awards ceremony will follow in due course, including confirmation of format and timings.


For 2020, we brought the awards to the GRC community via our first ever virtual awards ceremony. The show was packed with live chats, real time competitions, exciting reveals and not least, an energetic virtual audience! You can catch up and view the full show by clicking here.

Awards categories

For our awards, individuals and companies are given the opportunity to submit written entries, free of charge, to be put forward to a panel of expert judges made up of corporate governance professionals and Corporate Secretary editorial team members.

Further details about the nomination process will be announced shortly.

Please note that categories are subject to change based on the final number of submissions received. Some categories may be split by market cap size.

View the entire list of 2020 winners here

Best AGM

Best AGM

In this category, the judges will be looking at the work of corporate secretaries, general counsel and governance teams in preparing for and running annual meetings – either in-person, virtual or hybrid – that meet the governance needs of both the company and shareholders. Consideration will be given to fulfilling regulatory obligations, training and preparing management and board members, and ensuring shareholders have the opportunity for engagement before and during the AGM.

Best compliance and ethics program (large cap)

Best compliance and ethics program (large cap)

This award will look at coordination of governance, compliance, ethics and risk management processes across the entire corporation (including all subsidiaries).The judges will consider the level of understanding and integration of good governance principles across all disciplines and a truly non-silo approach to achieving an ethical governance environment. Market cap definition: Small cap - Below US$1 bn / Mid-cap - Between US$1 bn - US$5 bn / Large cap - Above US$5 bn

Best compliance and ethics program (small to mid-cap)

Best compliance and ethics program (small to mid-cap)

This award will look at coordination of governance, compliance, ethics and risk management processes across the entire corporation (including all subsidiaries).The judges will consider the level of understanding and integration of good governance principles across all disciplines and a truly non-silo approach to achieving an ethical governance environment. Market cap definition: Small cap - Below US$1 bn / Mid-cap - Between US$1 bn - US$5 bn / Large cap - Above US$5 bn

Best ESG reporting

Best ESG reporting

This entry should comment on the quality and robustness of ESG-related reporting. This includes exposure to environmental risk factors such as global warming, employee health and safety, foreign corrupt practices, consumer safety, social responsibility and corporate sustainability. The judges will also look at a company’s understanding of the role it plays in the community, both locally and globally.

Best global entity management

Best global entity management

In this category, the judges will be looking at the work of general counsel, corporate secretaries and their teams in creating and running effective and innovative global entity management programs that ensure the organization remains in compliance with all local laws. Issues for consideration include: using technology in new ways, ensuring efficiency in the program and adapting to new circumstances, rules and conditions.

Best governance by a cross-listed company

Best governance by a cross-listed company

The judges will be looking for the best overall governance, compliance and ethics program by an individual or team at a company whose shares are listed both in the US and on a non-US exchange. Areas of consideration include: shareholder engagement, ESG reporting, use of technology to aid governance, board diversity, board assessments and training, and other areas of the company’s governance operations.

Best proxy statement (large cap)

Best proxy statement (large cap)

This award will examine the completeness of legal disclosures, effectiveness of communication elements, readability, timeliness of filing, visual design elements and overall layout. Specific elements such as compensation discussion and analysis, MD&A, director profiles and ESG challenges will be given particular consideration. Market cap definition: Small cap - Below US$1 bn / Mid-cap - Between US$1 bn - US$5 bn / Large cap - Above US$5 bn

Best proxy statement (mid-cap)

Best proxy statement (mid-cap)

This award will examine the completeness of legal disclosures, effectiveness of communication elements, readability, timeliness of filing, visual design elements and overall layout. Specific elements such as compensation discussion and analysis, MD&A, director profiles and ESG challenges will be given particular consideration. Market cap definition: Small cap - Below US$1 bn / Mid-cap - Between US$1 bn - US$5 bn / Large cap - Above US$5 bn

Best proxy statement (small cap)

Best proxy statement (small cap)

This award will examine the completeness of legal disclosures, effectiveness of communication elements, readability, timeliness of filing, visual design elements and overall layout. Specific elements such as compensation discussion and analysis, MD&A, director profiles and ESG challenges will be given particular consideration. Market cap definition: Small cap - Below US$1 bn / Mid-cap - Between US$1 bn - US$5 bn / Large cap - Above US$5 bn

Best shareholder engagement

Best shareholder engagement

Engaging in dialogue with shareholders around governance issues has taken on new importance in the era of say-on-pay. This category, introduced in 2014, will focus on ways that companies are reaching out to proxy decision-makers, often outside of proxy season, to discuss their compensation strategy and other aspects of corporate governance. Formal programs, which may include governance roadshows, shareholder forums, independent director participation, surveys and other means of engagement, will be assessed for both qualitative and quantitative results such as strengthened relationships with institutional investors or a measurable increase in proxy voting support.

Best use of technology

Best use of technology

The use of technology is becoming an integral part of the way corporate secretaries and other governance professionals communicate with their colleagues and with investors. Entrants should be able to show how their use of new technological tools, social media and the internet has helped to advance governance within their firm. Areas of consideration include, but are not limited to: the use of technology in board communications, shareholder engagement, company meetings, records management and information governance and the successful use of technology to facilitate transactions. The judges will also consider the accessibility of the corporate secretary, general counsel and board of directors using technology, and the quality of information distributed.

Governance professional of the year (large cap)

Governance professional of the year (large cap)

The judges will be looking for the most outstanding individual in a governance, compliance or legal function. Entrants should be able to show exceptional performance in advancing governance and compliance activities at their company. Areas of consideration include, but are not limited to: board structure, shareholder communications, regulatory filing, annual reports and all other areas of the company’s governance operations. Market cap definition: Small cap - Below US$1 bn / Mid-cap - Between US$1 bn - US$5 bn / Large cap - Above US$5 bn

Governance professional of the year (small to mid-cap)

Governance professional of the year (small to mid-cap)

The judges will be looking for the most outstanding individual in a governance, compliance or legal function. Entrants should be able to show exceptional performance in advancing governance and compliance activities at their company. Areas of consideration include, but are not limited to: board structure, shareholder communications, regulatory filing, annual reports and all other areas of the company’s governance operations. Market cap definition: Small cap - Below US$1 bn / Mid-cap - Between US$1 bn - US$5 bn / Large cap - Above US$5 bn

Governance team of the year (large cap)

Governance team of the year (large cap)

The size and scope of teams involved in achieving sound governance are growing. Some companies have dozens of people working solely on compliance and governance. This award will look at the best overall governance team in the country, and what it has achieved in the past 12 months. How does the size of the team compare with the size of the company? How have team numbers changed in recent years? Who is involved and what training do they get? Market cap definition: Small cap - Below US$1 bn / Mid-cap - Between US$1 bn - US$5 bn / Large cap - Above US$5 bn

Governance team of the year (small to mid-cap)

Governance team of the year (small to mid-cap)

The size and scope of teams involved in achieving sound governance are growing. Some companies have dozens of people working solely on compliance and governance. This award will look at the best overall governance team in the country, and what it has achieved in the past 12 months. How does the size of the team compare with the size of the company? How have team numbers changed in recent years? Who is involved and what training do they get? Market cap definition: Small cap - Below US$1 bn / Mid-cap - Between US$1 bn - US$5 bn / Large cap - Above US$5 bn

Rising star

Rising star

The judges will be looking for the best newcomer to a governance or compliance role. This person will have been in the profession less than five years, achieving demonstrable success in driving good governance or implementing change at his or her company, advancing academic thinking or making a significant contribution to the governance community at large.

The judging process consists of three simple phases:

Phase one: Once the entry deadline has passed, the Corporate Secretary editorial team reviews all submissions and produces the short list

Phase two: The short-listed entries are shared with an independent judging panel made up of industry experts. The judges review each short-listed entry and select their top two picks per category

Phase three: The judges come together to discuss, debate and select the final list of winners who will go on to win an award

The judges’ votes are not made public, but their comments may be published in articles or reports after the event. Judges are not required to make comments against every submission.

Market cap definition:

  • Small cap – Below US$1 bn
  • Mid-cap – Between US$1 bn – US$5 bn
  • Large cap – Above US$5 bn

 

Who attends?

Attendees at our awards are leading practitioners from across the US. Each participant is someone with an established track record and a strategic GRC role within their company. In addition to our nominees, some of our past attendees include:

 

Job title Company Job title Company
CCO MMA Securities SVP, deputy GC and corporate secretary Verizon Communications
CEO Ethisphere SVP, director of investor and external relations Financial Institutions
CEO Everest SVP, general counsel and corporate secretary Clearway Energy
Chief compliance officer Avangrid Networks SVP, general counsel and secretary Xenia Hotels & Resorts
Chief corporate counsel MMC SVP, tax and equity compensation administration Banc of California
Chief legal officer and corporate secretary Dawn Foods SVP/AGC Regions Bank
COO International Elite Capital Vice president and assistant corporate secretary BlackRock
Director Evergy Vice president and associate general counsel Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Director – global ESG reporting & insights AT&T Vice president and chief ethics & compliance officer 3M
Director, corporate securities HP Vice president, assistant general counsel and secretary IBM
Director, governance and securities, assistant secretary Owens Corning Vice president, sales Diligent
Director, legal entity services Mastercard VP Nasdaq
EVP Burson Cohn & Wolfe VP and corporate secretary MVC Capital
EVP and chief legal officer Nuance Communications VP associate general counsel At Home
EVP and general counsel MF Global Holdings VP corporate development, GC & CHRO Columbus McKinnon
EVP, general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer B&G Foods VP corporate secretary TD Bank Group
Senior vice president and corporate secretary Discovery VP governance Prudential
Senior director, global sustainability Clarivate VP legal affairs & risk management, corporate secretary MGRC
SVP PepsiCo VP of issuer sales Broadridge
SVP – general counsel and corporate secretary Avangrid VP, assistant general counsel and assistant secretary Coeur Mining
SVP – Deputy general counsel Healthpeak Properties VP, associate GC frontdoor
SVP, associate general counsel and assistant secretary Bank of America VP, associate GC – corporate Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings
SVP, chief compliance officer Visa VP, chief sustainability officer & group general counsel The Travelers Companies
SVP, corporate governance Columbia Bank VP, learning & development Change Healthcare
SVP, corporate secretary and deputy general counsel AIG

 

Request full past attendee list

Past attendees say

"Everyone had great seat (I know I did). I was able to hear everyone clearly. Ceremony moved along at comfortable pace. The Best Dressed and sweepstakes event make it fun. I really enjoyed it!"

PepsiCo

"The engaging nature of the virtual event!"

Nasdaq

"I did enjoy the Corporate Governance Awards very much. Thank you for the invitation.
It was a lot of fun and very well organized. Congratulations!"

Quanta Services, Inc.

"These are very difficult to do virtually but your advance planning and pacing made it professional but fun as well. "

Corporate Governance Partners

"A great production!"

Broadridge Financial Solutions

"The awards are external validations for the work being done by the governance groups within companies whose work might go unseen by the average employee. Having a physical trophy is a good representation of the hard work of those teams"

Ethics Officer & Manager, International Ethics Operations, Lockheed Martin Corporation

"It is important that the good work done by many members of the corporate governance community be highlighted, and I particularly appreciate the opportunity for recognition offered to smaller companies and rising stars"

Managing Director, Argyle

"As was said by many, compliance is a critical function in today’s corporate world. Yet, those engaged in that effort receive insufficient attention. Corporate Secretary, generally, and this event in particular, shine appropriate light on not only the substance of ethics, compliance and good governance, but also put faces to the names who lead in this field"

Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, Graybar Electric Company

Inquire about partnership

Partners

Become a partner

Why partner with us?

The Corporate Governance Awards brings together some of the most influential people in the GRC community.

Partnering with us is the perfect way to raise your organization’s profile and cement your position in the GRC community.

The unique buzz we create at our virtual awards enables you to:

  • Reach thousands of industry leaders through our multi-channel marketing campaign
  • Raise your organization’s profile with unrivalled brand exposure
  • Align yourself with those who excel in the industry
  • Put your brand in the spotlight and benefit from months of targeted, high profile publicity across multiple channels pre- and post-event.

We’d love to have a chat with you about how you can get in front of a truly engaged and motivated audience through the Corporate Governance Awards. Get in touch with Taylor Ray or call +1 212 430 6895.

Register your interest

Please fill in the form below for updates about the 2021 Corporate Governance Awards.

If you have any questions, please contact Chloë Rutter at [email protected] or +44 20 3002 0396

 

Register your interest

What to expect

Last year we brought the awards to you via our first ever virtual ceremony.

View the full show below and find out what to expect in 2021!

Contact us

Privacy Policy

IR Media Group Ltd, the owner of IR Magazine, Corporate Secretary and IRspace, respect the privacy of every person who visits, registers with or subscribes to our websites and online publications, and is committed to ensuring a safe online experience. This privacy statement applies to all IR Media Group’s websites as listed under the heading ‘Sites’ and outlines the information IR Media Group may collect and how we may use that information. It also explains what we do with information about you when you register to attend one of our events.
To view our privacy policy in full, please click here.