The Universal Group offer a health check on your corporate governance – not just essential “compliance” – but casting an experienced but constructively critical eye upon the Board to see what could be done to further maximise overall effectiveness.

Perhaps you think you don’t have time for this, and your Board is functioning perfectly? In the majority of cases, having an experienced independent compliance expert offers a very real opportunity for a perspective which can be impossible to gain elsewhere. Such an expert can combine a unique and specialised set of skills with a fresh view of the company and an intimate knowledge of the potential challenges and weaknesses which have been experienced and overcome within similar businesses in the same industry. Perhaps individual Board members are aware of this, but can they really speak their minds to their colleagues? After all, you need to keep the business on an even keel and not everyone takes criticism well, no matter how constructive. In addition to specialised knowledge of how to create an effective board compliant with corporate governance standards that offer tangible benefits, the independence of a consultant can provide an opportunity for addressing well known but hard to broach issues which can often accumulate over time.

An outside expert can swiftly get a feel for the way a Board is working. He or she will not be distracted by what is going on in the moment, but will see what is behind it. Asking questions like:

• Who is on the Board?
• What attitude is taken to board business?
• How is the Board structured and rewarded?
• What is delegated?
• How is risk assessed?
• How is strategy formulated?

Sadly, too often the Boards of companies muddle through business without ever properly understanding the reality of answers to these questions. Engaging with The Universal Group corporate governance consultants can help the Board to drive improvements in efficiency and operational integrity, enabling the business to capitalise upon opportunity and build the right environment to thrive in adverse trading conditions.

Even the best and most participative Boards may develop a very specific view of the business around them. Universal Corporate Governance Consultancy brings a new perspective, focusing upon the things which perhaps you do not consciously think about on a daily basis, but which could make a huge difference if you did.

Imagine if all Board meetings did what they are supposed to do – take a detached, long term, strategic view of where you are going. Managing the business on a daily basis we can all do, but can we see the rocks ahead? – or the mountain tops we all aspire to reach?

Contact us today to discuss how increased awareness of corporate governance can benefit your business.