What is Corporate Governance: Understanding the Process

Updated on Jan 31, 2025 08:04 IST
Jaya Sharma

Jaya SharmaAssistant Manager - Content

Corporate governance is the collection of processes, rules and laws for operating and managing businesses. Its principles help in the identifying responsibilities of different members of the corporation. It also ensures delegating responsibilities to the right candidate. Since this is an important part of the corporate structure, you can opt for online corporate governance courses. 

It is important for any organisation to resolve conflict of interest. Within corporate governance, actions are monitored. It is a method for aligning the interests of stakeholders. Corporate governance becomes effective when it is well-defined and ensures that the organisation functions ethically. 

Free Corporate Governance Courses

 

Principles of Corporate Governance

The following points highlight the principles of corporate governance:

  1. Each shareholder should be treated equally and fairly. They should know about their rights and how they should exercise them. 
  2. Important information must be conveyed to investors and members of the community. Any legal and social obligation towards non-stakeholders must be upheld.
  3. The board of directors should be accountable within corporate governance. They should maintain transparency and should appropriately review management practices.
  4. There should be a defined code of conduct for executives and board of members.
  5. Policies and procedures should be only disclosed to relevant stakeholders.  

Acts and Standards in Corporate Governance

Corporate governance has become significant to bring in equality in the corporate sector against abusing authority. Following acts and standards have been passed in order to make the corporate sector secure and fair for all:

  1. Sarbanes-Oxley Act is a 2002 US federal law that works against those who commit fraud by leveraging power. This was introduced to improve corporate governance in the United States. 
  2. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act monitors the use of private information by financial institutions. These organisations should explain how they are safeguarding and sharing customer’s personal information.
  3. Basel II is a standard for minimising the financial impact of risk-prone operational decisions. This standard considers the rights of shareholders. 

Purpose of Corporate Governance 

One of the primary purposes of the corporate governance is to manage conflict of interest. This conflict is often between higher management and shareholders. This is known as the principal-agent problem where both parties have different interests and opinions. On one hand, shareholders may seek positive returns on their investments. On the other hand, higher management might put profits behind other business interests.

Corporate Governance Practises in India

The organisation framework of initiatives related to corporate governance in India includes two entities. These are the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). Listed companies are regulated under Clause 49 which has been incorporated in the listing agreement of stock exchanges. Listed companies must comply with the provision of clause.

Clause 49 of Corporate Governance

Initially, clause 49 introduced the fundamental corporate governance practices in Indian companies. This brought in changes in governance and disclosures. The clause specified the minimum number of the independent directors in the board of a company. It was mandatory to set up audit committees as well as shareholders’ grievance committees. It put a limit on the number of committees that one director could serve in.

2002

In 2002, the SEBI constituted a committee to assess the effectiveness of corporate governance practices. This committee had to suggest improvements in these practices. Based on the recommendations, SEBI released a modified Clause 49 that came into effect in January 2006.

  1. The revised clause focused on the protection of the interests of investors through improved governance practice. 
  2. It also clarified the independence criteria for directors as well as the responsibilities of the board. 
  3. There was a visible improvement in the quality and quantity of disclosures. 
  4. Responsibilities of the audit committee were consolidated in matters relating to financial reporting and internal controls. 
  5. It stressed on the accountability of the highest level of management. 

2008

In April 2008, SEBI amended the clause to extend the rule about 50% independent directors to each Board of Directors wherein the non-executive Chairman is the promoter or is related to promoters of the company.

In December 2009, at the first India Corporate Week, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs released new Corporate Governance Voluntary and Corporate Social Responsibility Voluntary guidelines.

Table of contents
  • Why Learn Corporate Governance?
  • Syllabus of Corporate Governance
  • Popular Corporate Governance Colleges in India
  • Popular Private Corporate Governance Colleges in India
  • Popular Corporate Governance Specializations

Why Learn Corporate Governance?

One should plan to learn Corporate Governance for the following reasons:

corporate governance

Syllabus of Corporate Governance

The following topics are covered within the Corporate Governance course:

Section

Topic Area

Exemplification

A: Corporate Governance – Principles and Issues

Definitions and Issues in Corporate Governance

  • Origins and definitions of corporate governance
  • Theories of corporate governance
  • Shareholder primacy theory
  • Agency theory
  • Agency conflict
  • Agency costs
  • Stakeholder theory
  • Approaches to corporate governance
  • Shareholder value approach
  • Stakeholder approach
  • Inclusive stakeholder approach
  • Enlightened shareholder value approach
  • Principles of corporate governance
  • Responsibility
  • Accountability
  • Transparency
  • Independence
  • Participation
  • The corporate governance framework
  • Applicable laws, regulations, standards and codes
  • Rules-based approach
  • Principles-based approach
  • Hybrid approach
  • Concepts of comply or explain
  • Implementation of a governance framework
  • Organization purpose
  • Assimilation of governance practices
  • Organizational success
  • The importance of adopting good governance practices
  • Consequences of weak governance
  • Key issues in corporate governance
  • Composition of boards
  • Financial reporting
  • Stakeholder relation
  • Social responsibility and sustainability
  • Compensation of directors and senior executives
  • Shareholder and member engagement
  • Performance of directors
  • Risk management
  • Technology and information governance
 

History of Corporate Governance in Canada

  • Background\
  • The Dey Report
  • The Kirby Report
  • The Saucier Reports
  • National Policy 58-201 & National Instrument 58-101
  • Other Financial Disclosure Rules
  • Future Directions
 

Governance in other countries and other sectors

  • Governance in US - SOX & Dodd-Frank5
  • Governance in UK – Cadbury to 2018
  • Governance Code
  • Governance in Germany, Japan, China
  • Global principles of corporate governance
  • Governance issues in developing and emerging markets
  • Governance in other sectors
  • Financial institutions
  • Public sector
  • Not-for-profit sector 
  • Governance for family-controlled companies
 

Role of the Company Secretary/ Governance Professional in Corporate Governance

  • The corporate secretary and corporate governance
  • The requirements for a corporate secretary
  • The role of the corporate secretary
  • The corporate secretary as the ‘conscience of the company'
  • The Corporate Secretary: Building trust through governance
  • Qualifications and skills
  • Position in the organisation
  • Independence of the corporate secretary
  • Liability of the corporate secretary
  • Inhouse v. outsource corporate secretary

B: The Board of Directors and Leadership

Directors’ Duties and Powers

  • Powers of directors
  • General duties of directors under the CBCA
  • Duty to act within powers and for proper purposes
  • Duty to promote the success of the company
  • Duty to exercise independent judgement
  • Duty to exercise reasonable skill, care and diligence
  • Duty to avoid conflicts of interest
  • Duty not to accept benefits from third parties
  • Duty to declare interests in transactions
  • Who can bring an action for a breach of the general duties
  • Fraudulent and wrongful trading
  • Directors’ and officers’ insurance
 

Role and Membership of the Board

  • Role of the board
  • Matters reserved for the board
  • Role of the chair
  • Role of the chief executive officer
  • Separation of the roles of chair and chief executive
  • Non-executive directors – role and independence
  • Non-executive directors – effectiveness
  • Senior independent director
  • Board committees and NED
  • Role of the Corporate Secretary
 

Board Composition and Succession Planning

  • Board size
  • Balance of skills, knowledge and experience
  • Diversity
  • Nomination committee
  • Appointments to the board
  • Accepting an offer of appointment
  • Succession planning
  • Refreshing board membership
  • Annual Re-election
 

Board Effectiveness

  • Decision-making processes
  • Supply of information
  • Board portals and electronic board papers
  • Use of social media by boards
  • Corporate culture
  • Independent professional advice
  • Performance evaluation
  • On boarding and Professional Development

C: Disclosure

Financial Reporting to Shareholders and the External Audit

  • Financial reporting
  • Requirements for financial reporting
  • Investor confidence in financial reporting
  • The role of the board in financial reporting
  • Role of the corporate secretary in financial reporting
  • Audit committee requirements
  • Role and responsibility of the audit committee
  • Meetings of the audit committee
  • Audit committee relationship with the board
  • Audit committee relationship with shareholders
  • Audit committee report
  • Role of the corporate secretary in relation to the audit committee
  • External auditor
  • Role of the external auditor
  • Auditor independence
  • Non-audit services
  • Auditor rotation
  • Role of the corporate secretary in relation to the external auditors
 

Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability and Business Ethics

  • Definition of corporate social responsibility (CSR)
  • History of CSR
  • The business case for CSR
  • Categories of CSR activity
  • CSR frameworks
  • Integrated thinking
  • Advising the board on being socially responsible
  • Sustainability
  • Advising the board on planning for sustainability
  • Business ethics
  • The role of the corporate secretary in building an ethical culture
  • Difference between business ethics, corporate responsibility and sustainability
 

CSR and Sustainability Reporting on non-financial issues

  • CSR reporting and the law
  • Drivers for voluntary CSR reporting
  • Measuring CSR initiatives
  • Triple bottom line reporting
  • Integrated reporting
  • Global Reporting Initiative
  • Sustainability Accounting Standards Board
  • IIRC integrated reporting framework
  • Corporate Reporting Dialogue
  • CSR benchmarking
  • External assurance
  • Environmental Profit & Loss Accounts
  • The corporate secretary’s role in CSR reporting

D: Risk Management and Internal Control

Risk Management and Internal Control Systems

  • The Nature of Risk
  • Internal Control System
  • The Canadian Corporate Governance Framework
  • The Turnbull Committee Report on Internal Control
  • The Role of Internal Audit
  • Risk Management
  • The Role of the Board (or Audit Committee) in Risk Management and internal controls
  • Risk Management Committees
  • Common failures of boards
 

Risk structures, policies, procedures and compliance

  • Governance structures and players
  • Policies and procedures
  • Whistleblowing
  • Cybersecurity
  • Information Governance
  • Disaster recovery plans
  • The Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act
  • Conflict prevention and resolution
  • Senior Executive Compensation and Risk

E: Corporate Governance Systems, Controls and Issues

Shareholders’ and Members’ Rights and Engagement

  • Definitions
  • Separation of Ownership and Control
  • The relationship between the board and shareholders
  • Shareholder Rights
  • Common abuse of shareholder rights
  • Shareholder expectations
  • Institutional shareholder responsibilities
  • Proxy Advisor Influence
  • Responsible Investment v. socially responsible investment
  • Member Rights in the NFP world
 

Board Engagement with Shareholders and other Stakeholders

  • Shareholder engagement
  • Annual general meetings
  • Electronic communication
  • Engagement with other stakeholders
  • CBCA requirements to consider other stakeholders
  • The role of the Governance Professional in Stakeholder Engagement
 

Compensation of Directors and Senior Executives

  • Compensation as a corporate governance issue
  • Elements of compensation for executive directors and senior executives
  • CCGG Principles on compensation
  • Compensation committee
  • Compensation Disclosures for public companies
  • Directors’ compensation policy
  • Compensation for loss of office and rewards for failure
  • Listing Rule provisions on long-term incentive schemes

Popular Corporate Governance Colleges in India

Following are the most popular Corporate Governance Colleges in India. Learn more about these Corporate Governance colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.
6.75 L
6.8 LPA
10.5 L - 12.5 L
4.2
2 Courses
12.7 L
3.8
3 L - 9 L
7.78 LPA

Banking, Finance & Insurance Applications open. Apply Now

75 K - 4.6 L
3.8

Banking, Finance & Insurance Applications open. Apply Now

2 L - 10.8 L
7.25 LPA

Banking, Finance & Insurance Applications open till Apr 25, 2026. Apply Now

Popular Private Corporate Governance Colleges in India

1.2 L - 2.85 L

Banking, Finance & Insurance Applications open till Apr 30, 2026. Apply Now

2 Courses
5.35 L - 10.18 L
3.2

Banking, Finance & Insurance Applications open till Apr 21, 2026. Apply Now

2 L - 10.8 L
7.25 LPA

Banking, Finance & Insurance Applications open till Apr 25, 2026. Apply Now

1 L - 5 L
3.3

Banking, Finance & Insurance Applications open. Apply Now

1 Course
3.75 L
3.6

Banking, Finance & Insurance Applications open till May 31, 2026. Apply Now

2.43 L - 5.84 L

Popular Corporate Governance Specializations

Following are the most popular Corporate Governance Specializations . You can explore the top Colleges offering these Specializations by clicking the links below.

Popular Specializations

qna

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered Yesterday

Such skills are advanced maths and stats, insurance regulation, predictive modeling, financial reporting etc. Other skills include Data Analysis & Software Proficiency, Proficiency in Excel (including VBA) and programming languages for data manipulation and visualization.

Read more 

Actuarial Science

D

Diya Nihalani

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

Some pointers to consider before choosing Actuarial Science are mentioned below 

  • It is a very intellectually heavy field; you can consider it if you have a good hold in math and stats in the field of finance and investments.
  • You can go for this course if you want a quicker salary progression in the ea

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Diya Nihalani

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

Both fields are kind of different. They serve different purposes. You can choose on the basis of your long-term career goals. 

CFA is all about finance, investment & portfolio. It requires 3 years to cover and is good for you if you are seeking globally recognised credentials. It leads to quicker sal

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D

Diya Nihalani

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

Yes, You can get a job abroad after completing finance-related courses but the salary and position will depend on the course that you have studied like after globally recognised qualifications such as CFA, ACCA, CPA and MBA you can get jobs in multinational companies (MNCs) easily but after doing Di

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Kritika Tyagi

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 2 days ago

If you want to pursue finance-related courses then USA, UK, France, Canada, Singapore, and Australia are some of the top choices of students as these countries provide students with the access to major global financial hubs.

These countries also have some of the most popular universities like Harvard

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Aashi Srivastava

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 2 days ago

Sure, You can find and apply for Finance related courses online due to the popularity if Finance courses platforms like Coursera, edX, Udemy, and CFI offer training in financial modeling, valuation, and fintech from institutions like Harvard and MIT.  These courses are really good choice as you can

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Himanshi Bisht

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 2 days ago

You cannot study finance courses for free and the platforms that provide free finance courses are not recognised and companies may reject these types of certificates so you can enroll for the following courses with less money:

Course NameDurationFees
Certification in Banking and Finance6 hours₹2 K
Advance Certificate in Banking Finance6 months₹5.9 K
B.Com. in Accountancy and Finance3 years₹6 K
Diploma in Financial Statement Analysis1 year₹7.9 K

Hope this helps!

A

Abhay Dixit

Contributor-Level 7

Answered 2 weeks ago

Yes, finance students are provided with access to the Bloomberg Terminal from the very beginning of the curriculum at PIBM Pune. It allows students to gain hands-on experience of real-time market data analysis, financial modeling and valuation techniques, tracking global economic trends, and develop

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Ruchika Chouhan

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 2 weeks ago

University of Lausanne MSc in Finance course is a 2-year long course (4 semesters). The language instruction for this course is English. C1 Level proficiency is required for this course. Also, this course has been recognised by CFA Institute. 

78590154
Akanksha Malhotra

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Jindal School of Banking & Finance Admissions 2026 are currently open. While no specific final deadline is announced on the website.

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Rakshit Prabhakar

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

The boys hostels at Jindal School of Banking and Finance are part of fully residential, modern campus offering high quality, air conditioned accommodation with attached bathrooms, laundry services & robust security. As part of OP Jindal Global University they feature common rooms with recreational f

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Rakshit Prabhakar

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Yes, the competitive programs like Computer Science and Data Science have earlier admission deadlines at the University of Luxembourg. The strict Luxmbourg admission deadlines are generally in March or April

The programs mentioned are very selective and the students should try to apply as early as

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Virajita Bisht

Contributor-Level 9

Answered 2 weeks ago

As UK student visa holder, you are required to pay Immigration Health Surcharge at time of your visa application-

  • Cost- GBP 776 per year of study (e.g., for 1 year Masters, you pay GBP 776, for 2 year course, GBP 1,552).
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Kanishka Gambhir

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Banking option for Indian students in Germany are mentioned below-

  • N26 (app-based bank): Very popular with international students. Easy to open online before you arrive. English interface. Free basic account.
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Kanishka Gambhir

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 weeks ago

Yes, health insurance is MANDATORY for all students in Germany — it is required for:

•     University enrollment/registration

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•     Living in Germany

•     Statutory (Public) Health Insurance — RECOMMENDED:

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Kanishka Gambhir

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

Finance is the top specialisation offered by various private BBA colleges in Maharashtra. Given below are some of the top colleges with their tuition fees -

Top CollegesTuition Fee
FLAME UniversityINR 22.2 Lacs - INR 37.5 lakh
Symbiosis Centre for Management StudiesINR 15.56 lakh
Anil Surendra Modi School of Commerce, NMIMSINR 10.08 Lacs - INR 14.4 lakh
MIT-WPUINR 13.2 lakh
D Y Patil University, PuneINR 4 lakh

Source: Official site and may vary.

T

Tasbiya Khan

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

Yes, you can definitely do an MBA in Business Analytics or Finance even with a BA History background 👍

✅ Eligibility

MBA colleges (through exams like Common Admission Test) accept students from any stream — Arts, Commerce, or Science.


🎯 Will you face difficulty?

  • Initially, you may find Quant/Analytics

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Q

Quantifiers

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 3 weeks ago

Indian students can complete King's College London MSc Economics and Finance course is one-year long course. Apart from the skills about Finance and Economics, Indian students are going to gain skills that can be utlized in diverse industries like e-commerce, retail, hospitality, media and pharmaceu

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A

Anya Aggarwal

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

MET Center for Insurance Training, Research and Development considers entrance exam scores for admission. The institute conducts MET-MCT for admission to PGPMBA course. Aspirants with CAT, MAT, CMAT, etc. scores can also get admission. Hence, entrance exam is required. 

N

Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15

Answered a month ago

MET Center for Insurance Training, Research & Development considers CAT scores for admission to PGPMBA programme. However, it is not compulsory. Aspirants with any other accepted entrance exam scores can also get admission provided they also meet the eligibility.

N

Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15

Answered a month ago

The annual fees for PGPMBA is INR 3.81 lakh at MET Center for Insurance Training, Research and Development. Aspirants who are selected have to pay the course fees at the time of admission to confirm their seat. The fees once paid will not be refunded under any circumstances.

N

Nishtha Shukla

Guide-Level 15

Answered a month ago

The MS in Finance course of Boston College is one-year. As per U.S. News, Boston College ranks at #9 in Finance (Business School Specialty rankings). Indian students are also enrolled in this college's course. International students who want to take admission this course are recommended to have some

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Nishtha Shukla

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

For the Class of 2024, MSF graduates placement rate is 94%. The average salary for the graduates is USD 77,000. The top companies where the graduates of MSF work are Deloitte, Alpine, JP Morgan Chase, PwC, etc. MSF graduates of Notre Dame Uni have started their careers in the industries like-

  • Financi

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Ishita Singh

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

Notre Dame Uni MS in Finance course is of 11-months. The tuition fees for this course in 2026-27 is USD 74,618 (Around INR 69 lakh). Also, scholarships are available for international students for this course. The employment rate for the Class of 2024 MSF graduates was 94%. 

78589906
Akanksha Malhotra

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

The course curriculum of MBA at ICFAI University, Jharkhand allows the students to choose from a wide variety of elective courses. The courses offered in Finance stream are Advance Financial Accounting, Security Analysis, Fintech, Project Management, Strategic Financial Management, Risk Management,

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S

Saumya Gairola

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

The MS in Finance course of the Uni of Miami is STEM-designated. Students can learn from the world-class faculty while studying this course. Also, 40% of the students in this course are female. Some of the top companies where the MS in Finance graduates of UMiami have worked are-

  • Citibank
  • JP Morgan
  • EY

...Read more

I

Ishita Singh

Contributor-Level 10

Answered a month ago

Hi.Students from any stream (Science, Arts, Commerce) pursue banking courses after 12th or banking courses after graduation.

For more detail information you can see below link 

https://www.shiksha.com/sarkari-exams/banking/articles/bank-courses-for-job-blogId-154425

Thanks 

102041442
Dr. Uma Sinha

Scholar-Level 17

Answered a month ago

Yes, accounting's necessary is essential, because it helps you to understand the basic terminologies. So, my advice would be to know the basic knowledge of accounting to join any further institution or any course!

A

Arav Sangya

Beginner-Level 3

Answered a month ago

No, having work experience is not really needed to go for the University of Luxembourg courses under MS including Business, Finance and Engineering. For these programs, the curriculum is designed for the fresh grads from university. 

However, if the student profile does have work experience, it may b

...Read more

B

Bhumika Vimal

Contributor-Level 9

Answered a month ago

No, there is no age limit to take the CFA Level 3 exam. However, students should have completed their graduation and fulfil other exam criteria. 

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Nishtha Shukla

Contributor-Level 6

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