As a business operating on the front line of leadership, our daily interactions and insights tell us that the prevailing stories about women CEOs are sometimes different from those of their male counterparts. We wanted to dig deeper and better...

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) concerns have become some of the top issues for corporate America in recent years. However, discussions surrounding these initiatives have become highly politicized and polarized, with anti-ESG shareholder proposals on the rise, certain companies rolling back their DEI initiatives, and falling shareholder vote support for various environmental and social proposals in recent years....

Technology and sustainability are key areas of strategic focus where boards are deepening their oversight at the committee level. Some large-cap boards have added technology or sustainability committees...

Directors are assessing the November elections and what different results would mean. According to our October 2024 Pulse Survey, 76% of directors say the US regulatory environment poses a moderate or serious risk. And regardless of who wins the election, 81% agree or strongly agree there will be more regulation....

The independence of directors, or lack thereof, is ultimately demonstrated through the decisions they make. In assessing the independence of directors, we will take into consideration, when appropriate, whether a director has a track record indicative of making objective decisions. Likewise, when assessing the independence of directors we will also examine when a director’s track record on multiple boards...

It is often a balancing act, as companies aim to disclose relevant information to the investment community on risk mitigation and responses to material incidents, while limiting information that could be exploited by adversaries and bad actors.

The 2024 election matters more than usual. Not only is the American electorate more polarized than anytime in modern history — making corporate leaders’ every statement and decision subject to public criticism — the results could rapidly reshape the business landscape. Which political party emerges victorious in November, in the White House and/or the houses...

We are at an inflection point, not only for business and industry, but for society at large. Board members and executives alike are excited at the chance to shape a future powered by the latest technologies of the day, including artificial intelligence and generative AI. But this does not come without risk and responsibility...

Years of disruption have made resilience and transformation business imperatives, the achievement of which depends on employees. Ultimately, it is the power of people that builds resilience and drives transformation success—from adaptive leaders with the leadership skills needed...

Under normal circumstances in well-governed companies, CEO succession is an ongoing, collaborative process between the CEO and the board. Even under normal circumstances, succession planning is complicated these days by the fact that more is uncertain in the world and expectations are changing....