The 2018 UK Corporate Governance Code

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has published the 2018 UK Corporate Governance Code.  The new Code is designed to set higher standards of governance to promote transparency and integrity and attract investment in the UK. The new Code will apply to premium-listed companies (and other companies that voluntarily choose to comply with it) for their financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2019.   

The new Code retains much of the current version of the Code (the 2016 Code) with an emphasis the importance of:

• positive relationships between companies, shareholders and stakeholders;
• a clear purpose and strategy aligned with healthy corporate culture;
• high quality board composition and a focus on diversity;