A Model Company-Level Corporate Governance Code
A Model Company-Level Corporate Governance Code
A Model Company-Level Corporate Governance Code
APPROVED
By decision of the General Meeting of Shareholders
of the Open Joint Stock Company «__________________»
Supervisory Board Minutes
No. ______________________________
of _____________ 200_
Signature of the Chairman of the GMS
______________________________
dated this __day of ________, 200_
[The Company’s Seal]
Table of Contents
PREAMBLE
BACKGROUND AND PROFILE
PART I. COMMITMENT TO CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
1. Definition and Principles.
2. Internal Corporate Documentation
3. General Governance Structure
4. Compliance with and Adherence to Corporate Governance
PART II. GOOD BOARD PRACTICES
1. At the Supervisory Board Level
2. At the Executive Body Level
3. Interaction Between the Supervisory Board and Executive Bodies and the Role of
the Corporate Secretary [if established]
PART III. SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS
1. General Meetings of Shareholders
2. (Minority) Shareholder Rights Protection
3. Related Party Transactions
4. Dividend Policy
PART IV. INFORMATION DISCLOSURE AND TRANSPARENCY
1. Disclosure Policies and Practices
2. Financial Reporting
3. Internal Audit and Control
4. The External Audit
5. Ownership Structure
2
Preamble
The purpose of this Company Code of Corporate Governance (hereinafter the Company
Code) is to improve and systematize the governance of the Open Joint Stock Company
«__________» (hereinafter the Company), make its governance more transparent, and
demonstrate the Company’s commitment to good corporate governance by developing and
furthering:
• Responsible, accountable, and value-based performance management;
• Effective oversight, with executive bodies that act in the best interests of the
Company and its shareholders, including minority shareholders, and seek to enhance
shareholder value in a sustainable manner; and
• Appropriate information disclosure and transparency, as well as an effective system
of risk management and internal control.
By adopting, following, and updating the Company Code, the Company’s charter, and by-
laws on a regular basis, the Company confirms its desire to demonstrably lead and promote
good corporate governance. To foster the confidence of its shareholders, employees,
investors, and the general public, the Company Code goes beyond the established legal and
regulatory framework in Russia today, and embraces both national and internationally
recognized corporate governance principles and practices.
The Company’s governing bodies and employees understand this Company Code as their
joint obligation, and accordingly, obligate themselves to ensure that its provisions and its
spirit are adhered to and acted upon throughout the Company [and its subsidiaries and
dependent companies].
1
This section is intended to provide an overview of the company’s mission, objectives, and main areas of
activity. It may also include other areas that may be of interest to the readers of the Company Code that will
enable them to gain a broad understanding of the company, its business, geographical location, and rationale
for drafting the Company Code.
3
Part I. Commitment to Corporate Governance
4
• Executive bodies;
• The Audit Commission; and
• ___________________________.2
This set of internal corporate documents follows legal and regulatory requirements, and
incorporates the main provisions of the FCSM Code and internationally recognized
corporate governance practices. The above-mentioned corporate documents are published
on the Company’s website.
2
Best practice calls for additional by-laws for the Corporate Secretary; for all Supervisory Board committees
established; on internal control; on the company’s dividend policy; on risk management; on information
disclosure and transparency; and on corporate governance policies in groups of companies. The company may
also wish to draft a company code of ethics.
3
Good practice suggests that the Corporate Secretary develop and the Supervisory Board’s Corporate
Governance Committee approve these policies.
5
Part II. Good Board Practices
6
The law prohibits the General Director from being the Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
To enhance unbiased oversight, the Company believes that a non-executive director should
chair the Supervisory Board.
The Company’s Supervisory Board is composed of not more than 25% of executive
directors who are employees of the Company. To ensure the impartiality of decisions and to
maintain the balance of interests among various groups of shareholders, __ [number or
percentage] of the Supervisory Board’s members are independent directors. The Company
defines those directors who have no material relationship with the Company beyond their
directorship as independent. The Supervisory Board ascertains which members are to be
deemed independent during the first Supervisory Board meeting. Criteria for determining
director independence shall be based on the FCSM Code, complemented by other
internationally recognized definitions, and specified in the Company’s charter and annual
report.
The Company recognizes that directors that have served for longer than seven years shall
not be considered independent directors.
e. Structure and Committees. The Company has established the following Supervisory
Board committees:
• The Audit Committee;
• ___________________________;
• ___________________________; and
• Other committees deemed necessary by the Supervisory Board.5
All committees have by-laws containing provisions on the scope of authority,
competencies, composition, working procedures, as well as the rights and responsibilities of
the committee members.
Each committee is to provide provisional consideration of the most important issues that
fall within the authority of the Supervisory Board. After each of its meetings, the committee
shall report on the meeting to the Supervisory Board.
f. Working Procedures. The Supervisory Board meets according to a fixed schedule, set at
the beginning of its term, which enables it to properly discharge its duties. As a rule, the
Supervisory Board shall meet at least __ times a year.6
Non-executive directors meet separately from executive members at least once a year.
Detailed procedures for calling and conducting Supervisory Board meetings are defined in
the Supervisory Board’s by-law. All directors are provided with a concise but
5
Other Supervisory Board committees recommended by the FCSM Code and generally-accepted best
practices cover areas in which there is an especially large potential for conflicts of interest and the need for
independent thought, in particular, the nominations and remuneration committee. Companies may eventually
wish to consider adding further committees on corporate governance, strategic planning and finance,
shareholder rights, ethics, and/or corporate conflicts resolution. However, companies should be prudent in the
establishment of committees. Excessive numbers of committees may be costly, difficult to manage, and may
fragment Board deliberations.
6
Good practice suggests that four to ten Supervisory Board meetings per year are sufficient to properly
discharge the Board’s duties.
7
comprehensive set of information [by the Corporate Secretary] in a timely manner,
concurrently with the notice of the Board meeting, but no less than ____ days before each
meeting.7 This set of documents is to include: an agenda; minutes of the prior Board
meeting; key performance indicators, including relevant financial information prepared by
management; and clear recommendations for action.
The Supervisory Board keeps detailed minutes of its meetings that adequately reflect Board
discussions, signed by the Chairman [and the Corporate Secretary], and include voting
results on an individual basis. The Company keeps transcripts (verbatim reports) of
important Board decisions, such as the approval of extraordinary transactions.
g. Self-Evaluation. The Supervisory Board conducts a yearly self-evaluation. This process
is to be organized by ______________ [e.g. the corporate governance committee] and the
results are to be discussed by the full Supervisory Board. Independent consultants may also
be invited to assist the Supervisory Board in this process.
h. Training and Access to Advisers. The Company offers an orientation program for new
directors on the Company, its business, and other issues that will assist them in discharging
their duties. The Company also provides general access to training courses to its directors
as a matter of continuous professional education. The Supervisory Board and its
committees shall also have the ability to retain independent legal counsel, accounting, or
other consultants to advise the Supervisory Board when necessary.
i. Remuneration. The remuneration of non-executive directors is competitive and is
comprised of an annual fee (part of which can be paid in the form of shares in lieu of cash),
a meeting attendance fee, and an additional fee for the chairmanship of committees or the
Supervisory Board itself. The remuneration package shall, however, not jeopardize a
director’s independence. Executive directors are not paid beyond their executive
remuneration package. The Supervisory Board [nominations and remuneration committee]
periodically reviews the remuneration paid to directors. All directors sign a contract with
the Company. The Company publicly discloses the remuneration of each director on an
individual basis.
The Company will not provide personal loans or credits to its directors.
Further, the Company shall not provide stock options to its directors unless approved by the
GMS.
j. Duties and Responsibilities. Directors act in good faith, with due care and in the best
interests of the Company and all its shareholders — and not in the interests of any
particular shareholder — on the basis of all relevant information. Each director is expected
to attend all Supervisory Board and applicable committee meetings.
The Supervisory Board must decide as to whether its directors can hold positions in the
governing bodies of other companies. The Company shall not prohibit its directors from
serving on other Supervisory Boards. Directors are expected to ensure that other
commitments do not interfere in the discharge of their duties.
Directors shall not divulge or use confidential or insider information about the Company.
7
Good practice suggests around two weeks.
8
Directors shall abstain from actions that will or may lead to a conflict of interest with the
Company. When such a conflict exists, directors shall disclose information about the
conflict of interests to the other directors and shall abstain from voting on such issues.
8
Good practice suggests that the Supervisory Board elect the General Director and the other Executive Board
members upon the recommendation of the General Director. The IFC’s RCGP recommends a term ranging
from three to five years, following an initial one-year term.
9
e. Working Procedures. The Executive Board meets regularly, and agenda issues are
communicated in advance. The working procedures of the Executive Board are specified in
the by-laws for the Executive Board.
f. Succession Planning. The Supervisory Board is to adopt a succession plan that outlines
how it will effectively deal with the temporary or permanent loss of senior executives. To
assist in this process, the General Director is to provide the Supervisory Board with a list of
individuals best suited to replace the Company’s key executives, including the position of
the General Director.
g. Remuneration and Evaluation. The amount of remuneration of the General Director
and members of the Executive Board is set by the Supervisory Board, and approved by the
GMS. The remuneration shall have a fixed and variable component, and the latter is tied to
key performance indicators, in-line with the input into the Company’s long-term
development and creation of shareholder value. The Company will not provide personal
loans or credits to its executive officers.
h. Duties and Responsibilities. The General Director and Executive Board members shall
act in good faith and with due care in the best interests of the Company and all its
shareholders — and not the interests of a particular shareholder — on the basis of all
relevant information.
The General Director and Executive Board members shall abstain from actions that will or
may lead to a conflict between their and the Company’s interests. When such a conflict
exists, members of the executive bodies shall disclose information about the conflict of
interests to the Supervisory Board, and shall abstain from deliberating and voting on such
issues.
3. Interaction Between the Supervisory Board and Executive Bodies and the Role of
the Corporate Secretary
Good corporate governance provides for an open dialogue between the Company’s
Supervisory Board and executive bodies. The Company has thus developed a procedure for
periodic reports (information briefs) of the General Director and Executive Board to the
Supervisory Board, as specified in the Executive Board’s by-law. The Supervisory Board
shall further have unrestricted access to the Company’s management and its employees.
The Corporate Secretary plays a key, overall role in facilitating this process.
The Company’s Corporate Secretary is employed on a full-time basis. The Corporate
Secretary possesses the necessary qualifications and skills to ensure that the governing
bodies follow internal rules and external regulations; facilitates clear communications
between the governing bodies in-line with the Company’s charter, by-laws, and other
internal rules; and keeps the Company’s key officers abreast of the latest corporate
governance developments.
10
Part III. Shareholder Rights
All shareholders have the right to participate in the governance and the profits of the
Company. All rights are regulated in the Company’s charter and by-laws.
11
2. (Minority) Shareholder Rights Protection
The Company has a system of registering shareholder complaints and effectively regulating
corporate disputes [through the Supervisory Board’s shareholder relations committee].
a. Supervisory Board representation. Minority shareholders have __ [number]
identifiable representatives on the Supervisory Board.9
b. External Registrar. The Company engages an independent External Registrar to
maintain the shareholder register. The Company ensures a reliable and efficient ownership
registration system of shares and other securities through the selection and appointment of
an independent External Registrar that has proper technical equipment and an excellent
reputation.
c. Takeover policy. The Company has a clearly articulated and enforceable policy in place
that protects the rights of minority shareholders in special circumstances, such as a change
of control.
4. Dividend Policy
The Company has formally developed and follows a written dividend policy. This dividend
policy is publicly disclosed on the Company’s website.
The procedure for determining the amount of dividends on preferred shares does not violate
other shareholder rights. The Company’s dividend policy:
• Establishes a transparent, understandable, and predictable mechanism for
determining the amount of the dividends;
• Ensures that the dividend payment procedure is easy and efficient; and
• Provides for the complete and timely payment of declared dividends.
9
Good practice suggests that the Supervisory Board’s composition reflect the shareholding structure, but that
the Supervisory Board have at least one identifiable minority shareholder representative.
12
Part IV. Information Disclosure and Transparency
2. Financial Reporting
The Company keeps records and prepares a full set of financial statements in accordance
with Russian Accounting Standards. [In addition, the Company prepares its accounts in
accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) [or U.S. GAAP] and
discloses these in its regulatory filings, including the annual report, and on the internet.]
Detailed notes accompany financial statements so that the users of the statements can
properly interpret the Company’s financial performance. A management discussion and
analysis (MD&A), as well as the opinions of the External Auditor and Revision
Commission, shall complement all financial information.
[The company produces consolidated accounts when required by accounting standards.]
10
Supervisory Board audit committees are becoming increasingly common internationally. Good practice
suggests that the Company strengthen the role of the Supervisory Board’s Audit Committee and make sure
that it complements the functions of the Revision Commission. Good practice suggests that the Revision
Commission meet at least four times per year, and that it be composed of at least one financially literate
member.
13
b. The Internal Auditor. The Company has an Internal Auditor [or office of the Internal
Auditor] that is responsible for the daily internal control of the Company’s finances and
operations. The Internal Auditor is staffed by a highly respected and reputable person[s],
and reports to the Supervisory Board [or Audit Committee] functionally and to the General
Director administratively.11 The Internal Auditor’s authority, composition, working
procedures, and other relevant matters are regulated in its by-law.
c. The Supervisory Board’s Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is to focus on three
key areas: financial reporting, risk management, and internal and external audit. This
committee is to be chaired by an independent director and composed of non-executive
directors, each of which is recognized for his or her financial literacy. Its exact authority,
composition, working procedures, and other relevant matters are regulated in its by-laws.
5. Ownership Structure
The Company ensures that beneficial owners of five percent or more of the voting shares
are disclosed. Any corporate relations in case of groups of companies are also clearly
identifiable and disclosed to the public.
11
Good practice suggests that the Internal Auditor be a member of the Institute of Internal
Auditors (see also: http://www.iia-ru.ru).
14