Corporate Governance Awards

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.

Nominees

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

The Kraft Heinz Company

WINNER

It is important that boards are periodically assessed so that changes can be made if necessary. These assessments are in many cases becoming more detailed and sophisticated. The judges will be looking for assessment programs that are thorough, innovative and tailored to a specific board where possible. Among other things, they will also be looking at whether feedback generated by an assessment has been acted on to help improve the functioning and/or composition of the board.

Nominees

PagerDuty

Prudential Financial

WINNER

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.

Nominees

Coeur Mining

WINNER

DocGo

Dun & Bradstreet Holdings

JLL

Robinhood Markets

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.

Nominees

ARM Holdings

PepsiCo

WINNER

Boards need to be properly kept up to date with relevant information and fully trained to carry out their duties effectively. As such, a key role of governance teams is making sure their board is informed on necessary issues and best practices, often with the aid of outside specialists. The judges will be looking for evidence of a program that meets these requirements for a specific board by offering extensive, relevant, timely and tailored training and education. They will also be looking for innovation in how directors are given the information and skills they need.

Nominees

Nasdaq

WINNER

Robinhood Markets

Sallie Mae

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.

Market cap definition: Small cap = below US$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

Nominees

AMN Healthcare Services

WINNER

Bath & Body Works

Dun & Bradstreet Holdings

Healthpeak Properties

JLL

Korn Ferry

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.

Market cap definition: Small cap = below US$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

Nominees

Applied Materials

Emerson Electric Co

HP

Nasdaq

WINNER

PepsiCo

Verizon

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.

Nominees

HP

JLL

Nasdaq

Prudential Financial

WINNER

In this category, judges will be looking for innovative and effective governance work carried out before, during and/or after a corporate transaction such as an IPO, M&A deal or restructuring. This might include, for example, overhauling a company’s governance structure, combining the best elements of two companies’ arrangements or managing the regulatory and other risks arising from a transaction.

Nominees

Bunge Global

Summit Materials

Visa

WINNER

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, CD&A, director profiles and ESG challenges will be given particular consideration.

Market cap definition: Small cap = below US$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

Nominees

Century Aluminum Company

WINNER

Gentherm

Lumen Technologies

The Greenbrier Companies

W&T Offshore

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, CD&A, director profiles and ESG challenges will be given particular consideration.

Market cap definition: Small cap = below US$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

Nominees

Coeur Mining

WINNER

Healthpeak Properties

Leidos Holdings

Murphy Oil Corp

Regions Financial Corporation

The Clorox Company

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, CD&A, director profiles and ESG challenges will be given particular consideration.

Market cap definition: Small cap = below US$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

Nominees

Booking Holdings

CVS

HP

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

The Kraft Heinz Company

WINNER

Visa

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.

Market cap definition: Small cap = below US$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

Nominees

Lumen Technologies

Regions Financial Corporation

WINNER

The Greenbrier Companies

Transocean

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.

Market cap definition: Small cap = below US$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

Nominees

Discover Financial Services

HP

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

The Allstate Corporation

WINNER

The Kraft Heinz Company

Visa

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.

Nominees

Asana

JLL

WINNER

Prudential Financial

Regions Financial Corporation

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$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

Nominees

Seth Gastwirth, JLL

Henrique Bertolo Canarim, Leidos Holdings

Christina Lai, Robinhood Markets

WINNER

Jeffrey Lipschutz, Sallie Mae

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$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

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$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

Nominees

Bunge Global

Regions Financial Corporation

WINNER

Robinhood Markets

Sallie Mae

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$2 bn / Mid-cap = between US$2 bn – US$20 bn / Large cap = US$20 bn and over

Nominees

HP

Nasdaq

WINNER

PepsiCo

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Visa

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 10 years and have less than 15 years of professional experience, 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.

Nominees

Mary Wheeler, Regions Financial Corporation

Megan Smagala, Sallie Mae

Nicole Fritz, The Kraft Heinz Company

WINNER

We are thrilled to announce that the recipient of the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award is Helle Bank Jørgensen.

Nominees

Helle Bank Jørgensen

WINNER