Governance Services

What is Corporate Governance?

Good governance is the bedrock of all successful organisations. It is the rules, regulations and processes that companies implement to effectively and efficiently run their business. Corporate Governance outlines who the decision makers are and the processes that allow decision making to happen. This ensures good quality choices are made. It is based on acting with integrity, complying with the law, being transparent and working ethically. Good Governance will both add value to your business and assure stakeholders that it is being managed responsibly.

Belgian listed companies are required to set up an audit committee and a remuneration committee. They also need to publish a Governance declaration and a remuneration report in their annual report. Other companies also put a Governance structure in place on a voluntary basis.

The missions of the audit committee are:

• The monitoring of the process leading to the preparation of financial information;
• The monitoring of the effectiveness of internal control and risk management systems of the company;
• If there is an internal audit function, monitoring of internal audit and its effectiveness;
• The monitoring of the statutory audit of annual and consolidated accounts, including follow up of issues and recommendations made by the external auditor and, if necessary, by the auditor responsible for the audit of the consolidated financial statements;
• The review and monitoring of the independence of the external auditor and if applicable, of the external auditor responsible for the audit of consolidated financial statements, in particular with regards to the provision of additional services to the company.

The Remuneration Committee responsibilities include preparing proposals for the Board of Directors:

• Concerning the remuneration policy and individual remuneration of direc­tors, executive committee members, other managers and the CEO;
• Concerning the remuneration of executive directors and managers, whether fixed or variable, and whether related to securities or financial instru­ments of the company;
• Concerning agreements on early termination of duties.

It also prepares the remuneration report to be included in the management report and comments during the general meeting of shareholders.

How we can serve you

RSM has in-depth experience in corporate Governance services.

We believe that even for entities that are not required to apply the corporate Governance law, a suitable and good Governance structure offers substantial benefits:

• Offering a power equilibrium in the company
• Insuring an ethical aspect in decision-making
• Giving a professional image of the entity towards stakeholders which can be particularly important for public entities or in the transfer of SMEs
• Promoting sustainability of the business

RSM’s Governance team is here to help you ensure that you get the most value from your Governance. We achieve this through reviewing, refining, designing and implementing practical and proportionate Governance solutions.

We provide advice tailored to your business and needs, whether it is to analyse and improve your corporate Governance structure, prepare Governance charters or assist you in preparing the Governance declaration.

What we offer

The Governance services we offer include:

• Advice to the board of directors in implementing a Governance structure
• Audit committee expert
• Audit committee member
• Audit charter preparation
• Assistance in the preparation of the Governance declaration and of the remuneration report
• Experienced independent member of the board of directors with the legal qualifications required to take part in audit committee meetings
• Support in the decision-making process

Contact our Head of Governance