With so many corporate scandals making headline news on a daily basis, can you be sure your company has a healthy speak up culture? Are you confident your staff are comfortable to speak up about a wrongdoing they have witnessed at work?
With new guidelines introduced by the UK Corporate Governance Code which explicitly states “the workforce should be able to raise any matters of concern”, it is more important than ever to foster a positive ‘speak up’ and ‘listen up’ culture.
The City of London Corporation are inviting listed companies to attend a two-hour breakfast briefing on July 8, which includes a roundtable session, to better understand best practice speak up arrangements.
This event will explore how organisations can implement appropriate arrangements to encourage and support employees to raise concerns. It is not only the regulators who are taking an increasing interest in this topic, but also investors who may rely on the reporting of these arrangements as an indication of a company’s culture and overall health.
Catherine McGuinness, Chair, Policy and Resources Committee, City of London Corporation will welcome delegates. As Chair of the Policy Committee, Catherine is Deputy Chair of The City UK, the promotional body for the UK financial services industry, and the International Regulatory Strategy Group.
This will be followed by a presentation by Senior Behavioural Scientist Kate Coombs on the Banking Standards Board’s recent Annual Review and its focus on speaking and listening up.
Protect Chief Executive Francesca West will discuss the importance of effective speak up arrangements and Protect’s 360 Benchmark and then Mirza Baig, Global Head of Governance, Aviva Investors, will present on the investor perspective and the importance of reporting in this context. A brief roundtable exercise focusing on key aspects of implementing and reporting on effective speak up arrangements will also take place.
Fostering a positive speak up & listen up culture – Agenda:
08:00-08:30 Registration and networking with light breakfast served
08:30-08:40 Welcome from Catherine McGuinness
08:40-08:55 Presentation by Kate Coombs on the Banking Standards Board’s recent Annual Review and its focus on speaking and listening up
08:55-09:10 Presentation by Francesca West on the importance of effective speak up arrangements and Protect’s 360 Benchmark
09:10-09:25 Presentation by Mirza Baig on the investor perspective and the importance of reporting in this context
09:25-10:20 Roundtable exercise focusing on key aspects of implementing and reporting on effective speak up arrangements and feedback to the wider group
10:20-10:30 Closing remarks
Please note that places are limited so will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Please feel free to share with relevant colleagues.
If you are interested in attending, or would like more information, please email Pro.Events@cityoflondon.gov.uk