Theme: Code of Conduct for Legal Council

As Corporate Secretaries, we wear many hats but our most important task is ensuring the Board and the Company by extension does the ‘right thing’. This may sound very simple but if you recall your law school days; and the riveting debates regarding Dicey’s rule of law; you would remember that just because something is within the permit of the law, does not make it right- case in point slavery.  While we are not here to debate Dicey’s rule of law, the intent of this presentation is to ensure that the organizations we represent are making the best decisions. As governance professionals, we have committed to inspiring the Board, Management, Employees and even our shareholders and stakeholders to do not only what is legal but what is right as governed by a unified code. This presentation will focus on the who, what, where, when and why of a company’s code of ethics and provide some practical tools and technology that can assist in an effective and efficient creation, deployment and buy-in for all. In this ever changing regulated environment, having a framework supported by policies is all very well, but without a strategic approach to employee engagement and measured cultural shifts, we are missing a vital step and exposing ourselves to risks and possible breaches. Our people’s behaviour is the key to success and we can only achieve the awareness, understanding and cultural buy-in needed through clear and precise communication in policies, training and presentations.