Books
J Charkham, Keeping Better Company: Corporate Governance Ten Years On (OUP 2005). |
Provides an account of the corporate governance systems of the UK, Germany, Japan, France and the USA. |
K Keasey, S Thompson & M Wright (eds), Corporate Governance: Accountability, Enterprise and International Comparisons (Wiley 2005). |
Contains a series of essays that focus on prominent corporate governance topics. Particular attention should be paid to chs 2 (corporate governance codes), 4 (institutional investors), 5 (non-executive directors), and 6-7 (directors’ remuneration). |
D Kershaw, Company Law in Context: Text and Materials (2nd edn, OUP 2012) ch 8. |
An excellent chapter that provides a discussion of the prominent issues relating to directors’ remuneration. |
CA Mallin, Corporate Governance (6th edn, OUP 2018) chs 2, 6, 8 and 9. J Solomon, Corporate Governance and Accountability (5th edn, Wiley 2020) chs 3, 4 and 5. |
Both of these texts provide a clear and accessible account of the corporate governance issues discussed in this chapter. |
Journal articles
R Bender, ‘Paying for Advice: The Role of the Remuneration Consultant in UK Listed Companies’ (2011) 64 Vand L Rev 361 |
Discusses the role of remuneration consultants in setting directors’ remuneration. |
BR Cheffins, ‘The Undermining of UK Corporate Governance(?)’ (2013) 22 OJLS 503 |
Discusses how the prevalence of overseas investors has affected the UK corporate governance system. |
E Hellinx, ‘Steeplechase in the Boardroom: The Obstacles for Non-Executive Directors to Fulfil their Role in Public Companies’ (2017) 38 Co Law 15. |
Discusses the difficulties that may prevent NEDFs from fulfilling their governance role in the company. |
A Keay, ‘Comply or Explain in Corporate Governance Codes: In Need of Greater Regulatory Oversight?’ (2014) 34 LS 279 |
Discusses whether corporate governance enforcement should be left to the members rather than a regulatory body. |
E Ndzi, ‘UK Shareholder Voting on Directors’ Remuneration: Has the Binding Vote Made Any Difference? (2017) 38 Co Law 139. |
Argues that the introduction of the binging vote on directors’ remuneration has not had a notable impact on director remuneration. |
M Petrin, ‘Executive Compensation in the UK: Past, Present, and Future’ (2015) 36 Co Law 196 |
Discusses the UK’s approach to regulating directors’ pay. |
BV Reddy, ‘Thinking Outside the Box – Eliminating the Perniciousness of Box-Ticking in the New Corporate Governance Code’ (2019) 82 MLR 692 |
Discusses whether the 2018 UK Corporate Governance Code discourages a box-ticking approach. |
WG Ringe, ‘Independent Directors: After the Crisis’ (2013) 14 EBOLR 401 |
Discusses the concept of director independence and argues that, following the financial crisis, a new test of independence is required. |
B Cheffins, ‘The Stewardship Code’s Achilles’ Heel’ (2010) 73 MLR 1004. L Roach, ‘The UK Stewardship Code’ (2011) 11 JCLS 463. |
Both of these articles discuss the UK Stewardship Code and argue that the Code’s effect will be modest at best. |
Codes and reports
FRC, ‘The UK Corporate Governance Code’ (FRC 2018) |
Lays down governance Principles and Provisions for premium listed companies. |
FRC, ‘Guidance on Board Effectiveness’ (FRC 2018) |
Provides more detailed guidance on the Principles and Provisions found in the UK Corporate Governance Code. |
FRC, ‘The Wates Corporate Governance Principles for Large Private Companies’ (FRC 2018) |
Establishes governance principles for larger private companies and other companies not subject to the UK Corporate Governance Code. |
FRC, ‘The Wates Corporate Governance Principles for Large Private Companies: The Extent, Coverage and Quality of Corporate Reporting’ (FRC 2022) |
Analyses the quality of the reports submitted by signatories to the Wates Principles |
FRC, ‘The UK Stewardship Code 2020’ (FRC 2019) |
Contains recommendations in relation to the role and activities of institutional investors. |
FRC, ‘Review of Stewardship Reporting 2022’ (FRC 2022) |
Examines the quality of Stewardship Reports published by signatories to the UK Stewardship Code |
Grant Thornton, ‘Corporate Governance Review 2022’ (Grant Thornton, 20122). |
Provides statistics and commentary on the extent to which FTSE 350 companies comply with the UK Corporate Governance Code. |
P Myners, ‘Institutional Investment in the United Kingdom: A Review’ (HM Treasury 2001) |
The Myners Report provides an extremely detailed analysis of the role of institutional investors. |
D Higgs, ‘Review of the Role and Effectiveness of Non-Executive Directors’ (DTI 2003) |
The Higgs Report discusses the role and effectiveness of non-executive directors. A number of the recommendations made in the report have been implemented by the UK Corporate Governance Code. |
Websites
https://www.frc.org.uk/directors/corporate-governance/uk-corporate-governance-code |
The FRC’s website that contains information relating to the UK Corporate Governance Code |
From this website, you can access corporate governance codes and reports from many countries, including UK reports and codes that are no longer published (e.g. the Cadbury Report). |