ESG 23 Final Single pages - Flipbook - Page 63
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE
In addition to our annual Code of Conduct and
ethics training, in FY23 we implemented Group-wide
information security training, as well as health and safety
training, for all colleagues to complete in the RWS training
portal, MyLX. This training was essential in helping RWS
maintain a secure environment for RWS, its clients,
contractors, and partners.
RWS strives to comply with best practice and benchmarks
itself against leaders in business ethics and professional
integrity, as well using knowledge acquired from
attending conferences such as the annual European
Compliance and Ethics conference, trade publications and
professional subscriptions and legal news and analysis on
legal and regulatory issues.
The Chairman leads the Board and has overall
responsibility for corporate governance and promoting
the values of the Group, both internally to colleagues and
externally to the broader stakeholder group. The CEO
manages the day-to-day operations of the Group.
The Board is committed to providing an environment and
opportunities that encourage and reinforce the corporate
culture of the Group. It is committed to extending the
values that it promotes to include all stakeholder groups.
The Board recognises the importance of, and is committed
to, ensuring that e昀昀ective corporate governance
procedures are in place and that they are appropriate for
a public company of the size and complexity of RWS.
GOVERNANCE AND REPORTING
The Board is committed to providing speci昀椀c training to
Directors, be it internally sourced or via external advisers,
to ensure their skillset remains relevant for the Group’s
requirements.
As an AIM listed company, RWS has chosen to implement
The Quoted Companies Alliance Corporate Governance
Code (the QCA Code). The principles and disclosures laid
out by the QCA Code provide a framework to ensure we
have the appropriate governance arrangements in place.
The Board believes that it complies with all the principles
of the QCA Code and our 2023 Annual Report includes
details of our compliance, which is reviewed annually in
line with the requirements of the QCA Code.
As part of our commitment to high standards of
governance, the Board recognises the importance of
having Non-executive Directors who are independent in
character and judgement, and free from relationships
which may a昀昀ect, or could appear to a昀昀ect, their
judgement. The RWS Board consists of the Chief Executive
O昀케cer and Chief Financial O昀케cer as Executive Directors,
the Chairman, and 昀椀ve Non-executive Directors, together
with the Company Secretary.
The Board considers that all the Non-executive Directors
are independent (save for the former Chairman,
Andrew Brode, who is not deemed independent due
to his previous executive role) and that there are no
relationships or circumstances which are likely to a昀昀ect
their independent judgement.
Governance framework
RESPONSIBLE FOR:
ACCOUNTABLE TO:
Strategy
Clients
Female
50%
Male
50%
Governance
Shareholders
THE BOARD
Community
As at 30 September 2023
Performance
Suppliers
Colleagues
Board of Directors
Controls
Risks
The Board believes that, as a collective, the Directors have
the necessary blend of sector, 昀椀nancial and public market
skills and experience, along with an e昀昀ective balance of
personal qualities and capabilities. Directors keep their
skillset up to date in a variety of ways, and their skills and
expertise are reviewed on an annual basis.
GOVERNANCE RWS Holdings plc — ESG Report 2023
63
