Boards need to consist of at least 3 independent directors or 1/3 of the Board whichever is higher

THE BOARD'S CONDUCT OF AFFAIRS

Principle:

1 Every company should be headed by an effective Board to lead and control the company. The Board is collectively responsible for the long-term success of the company. The Board works with Management to achieve this objective and Management remains accountable to the Board.

Guidelines:

1.1 The Board's role is to:

(a) provide entrepreneurial leadership, set strategic objectives, and ensure that the necessary financial and human resources are in place for the company to meet its objectives;

(b) establish a framework of prudent and effective controls which enables risks to be assessed and managed, including safeguarding of shareholders' interests and the company's assets;

(c) review management performance;

(d) identify the key stakeholder groups and recognise that their perceptions affect the company's reputation;

(e) set the company's values and standards (including ethical standards), and ensure that obligations to shareholders and other stakeholders are understood and met; and

(f) consider sustainability issues, e.g. environmental and social factors, as part of its strategic formulation.

1.2 All directors must objectively discharge their duties and responsibilities at all times as fiduciaries in the interests of the company.

1.3 The Board may delegate the authority to make decisions to any board committee but without abdicating its responsibility. Any such delegation should be disclosed.

1.4 The Board should meet regularly and as warranted by particular circumstances, as deemed appropriate by the board members. Companies are encouraged to amend their Articles of Association (or other constitutive documents) to provide for telephonic and video-conference meetings. The number of meetings of the Board and board committees held in the year, as well as the attendance of every board member at these meetings, should be disclosed in the company's Annual Report.

1.5 Every company should prepare a document with guidelines setting forth:

(a) the matters reserved for the Board's decision; and

(b) clear directions to Management on matters that must be approved by the Board.

The types of material transactions that require board approval under such guidelines should be disclosed in the company's Annual Report.

1.6 Incoming directors should receive comprehensive and tailored induction on joining the Board. This should include his duties as a director and how to discharge those duties, and an orientation program to ensure that they are familiar with the company's business and governance practices. The company should provide training for first-time director1 in areas such as accounting, legal and industry-specific knowledge as appropriate.

It is equally important that all directors should receive regular training, particularly on relevant new laws, regulations and changing commercial risks, from time to time.

The company should be responsible for arranging and funding the training of directors. The Board should also disclose in the company's Annual Report the induction, orientation and training provided to new and existing directors.

1.7 Upon appointment of each director, the company should provide a formal letter to the director, setting out the director's duties and obligations.

BOARD COMPOSITION AND GUIDANCE

Principle:

2 There should be a strong and independent element on the Board, which is able to exercise objective judgement on corporate affairs independently, in particular, from Management and 10% shareholders2. No individual or small group of individuals should be allowed to dominate the Board's decision making.

Guidelines:

2.1 There should be a strong and independent element on the Board, with independent directors making up at least one-third of the Board.

2.2 The independent directors should make up at least half of the Board where:

(a) the Chairman of the Board (the "Chairman") and the chief executive officer (or equivalent) (the "CEO") is the same person;

(b) the Chairman and the CEO are immediate family3 members;

(c) the Chairman is part of the management team; or

(d) the Chairman is not an independent director.

2.3 An "independent" director is one who has no relationship with the company, its related corporations4, its 10% shareholders or its officers that could interfere, or be reasonably perceived to interfere, with the exercise of the director's independent business judgement with a view to the best interests of the company. The Board should identify in the company's Annual Report each director it considers to be independent. The Board should determine, taking into account the views of the Nominating Committee ("NC"), whether the director is independent in character and judgement and whether there are relationships or circumstances which are likely to affect, or could appear to affect, the director's judgement. Directors should disclose to the Board any such relationship as and when it arises. The Board should state its reasons if it determines that a director is independent notwithstanding the existence of relationships or circumstances which may appear relevant to its determination, including the following:

(a) a director being employed by the company or any of its related corporations for the current or any of the past three financial years;

(b) a director who has an immediate family member who is, or has been in any of the past three financial years, employed by the company or any of its related corporations and whose remuneration is determined by the remuneration committee;

(c) a director, or an immediate family member, accepting any significant compensation from the company or any of its related corporations for the provision of services, for the current or immediate past financial year, other than compensation for board service;

(d) a director:

(i) who, in the current or immediate past financial year, is or was; or

(ii) whose immediate family member, in the current or immediate past financial year, is or was,

a 10%shareholder of, or a partner in (with 10% or more stake), or an executive officer of, or a director of, any organisation to which the company or any of its subsidiaries made, or from which the company or any of its subsidiaries received, significant payments or material services (which may include auditing, banking, consulting and legal services), in the current or immediate past financial year. As a guide, payments5 aggregated over any financial year in excess of S$200,000 should generally be deemed significant;

(e) a director who is a 10% shareholder or an immediate family member of a 10% shareholder of the company; or

(f) a director who is or has been directly associated with6 a 10% shareholder of the company, in the current or immediate past financial year.

The relationships set out above are not intended to be exhaustive, and are examples of situations which would deem a director to be not independent. If the Board wishes, in spite of the existence of one or more of these relationships, to consider the director as independent, it should disclose in full the nature of the director's relationship and bear responsibility for explaining why he should be considered independent.

2.4 The independence of any director who has served on the Board beyond nine years from the date of his first appointment should be subject to particularly rigorous review. In doing so, the Board should also take into account the need for progressive refreshing of the Board. The Board should also explain why any such director should be considered independent.

2.5 The Board should examine its size and, with a view to determining the impact of the number upon effectiveness, decide on what it considers an appropriate size for the Board, which facilitates effective decision making. The Board should take into account the scope and nature of the operations of the company, the requirements of the business and the need to avoid undue disruptions from changes to the composition of the Board and board committees. The Board should not be so large as to be unwieldy.

2.6 The Board and its board committees should comprise directors who as a group provide an appropriate balance and diversity of skills, experience, gender and knowledge of the company. They should also provide core competencies such as accounting or finance, business or management experience, industry knowledge, strategic planning experience and customer-based experience or knowledge.

2.7 Non-executive directors should:

(a) constructively challenge and help develop proposals on strategy; and

(b) review the performance of Management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitor the reporting of performance.

2.8 To facilitate a more effective check on Management, non-executive directors are encouraged to meet regularly without the presence of Management.

CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Principle:

3 There should be a clear division of responsibilities between the leadership of the Board and the executives responsible for managing the company's business. No one individual should represent a considerable concentration of power.

Guidelines:

3.1 The Chairman and the CEO should in principle be separate persons, to ensure an appropriate balance of power, increased accountability and greater capacity of the Board for independent decision making. The division of responsibilities between the Chairman and the CEO should be clearly established, set out in writing and agreed by the Board. In addition, the Board should disclose the relationship between the Chairman and the CEO if they are immediate family members.

3.2 The Chairman should:

(a) lead the Board to ensure its effectiveness on all aspects of its role;

(b) set the agenda and ensure that adequate time is available for discussion of all agenda items, in particular strategic issues;

(c) promote a culture of openness and debate at the Board;

(d) ensure that the directors receive complete, adequate and timely information;

(e) ensure effective communication with shareholders;

(f) encourage constructive relations within the Board and between the Board and Management;

(g) facilitate the effective contribution of non-executive directors in particular; and

(h) promote high standards of corporate governance.

The responsibilities set out above provide guidance and should not be taken as a comprehensive list of all the duties and responsibilities of a Chairman.

3.3 Every company should appoint an independent director to be the lead independent director where:

(a) the Chairman and the CEO is the same person;

(b) the Chairman and the CEO are immediate family members;

(c) the Chairman is part of the management team; or

(d) the Chairman is not an independent director.

The lead independent director (if appointed) should be available to shareholders where they have concerns and for which contact through the normal channels of the Chairman, the CEO or the chief financial officer (or equivalent) (the "CFO") has failed to resolve or is inappropriate.

3.4 Led by the lead independent director, the independent directors should meet periodically without the presence of the other directors, and the lead independent director should provide feedback to the Chairman after such meetings.

BOARD MEMBERSHIP

Principle:

4 There should be a formal and transparent process for the appointment and re-appointment of directors to the Board.

Guidelines:

4.1 The Board should establish a NC to make recommendations to the Board on all board appointments, with written terms of reference which clearly set out its authority and duties. The NC should comprise at least three directors, the majority of whom, including the NC Chairman, should be independent. The lead independent director, if any, should be a member of the NC. The Board should disclose in the company's Annual Report the names of the members of the NC and the key terms of reference of the NC, explaining its role and the authority delegated to it by the Board

4.2 The NC should make recommendations to the Board on relevant matters relating to:

(a) the review of board succession plans for directors, in particular, the Chairman and for the CEO;

(b) the development of a process for evaluation of the performance of the Board, its board committees and directors;

(c) the review of training and professional development programs for the Board; and

(d) the appointment and re-appointment of directors (including alternate directors, if applicable).

Important issues to be considered as part of the process for the selection, appointment and re-appointment of directors include composition and progressive renewal of the Board and each director's competencies, commitment, contribution and performance (e.g. attendance, preparedness, participation and candour) including, if applicable, as an independent director. All directors should be required to submit themselves for re-nomination and re-appointment at regular intervals and at least once every three years.

4.3 The NC is charged with the responsibility of determining annually, and as and when circumstances require, if a director is independent, bearing in mind the circumstances set forth in Guidelines 2.3 and 2.4 and any other salient factors. If the NC considers that a director who has one or more of the relationships mentioned therein can be considered independent, it shall provide its views to the Board for the Board's consideration. Conversely, the NC has the discretion to consider that a director is not independent even if he does not fall under the circumstances set forth in Guideline 2.3 or Guideline 2.4, and should similarly provide its views to the Board for the Board's consideration.

4.4 When a director has multiple board representations, he must ensure that sufficient time and attention is given to the affairs of each company. The NC should decide if a director is able to and has been adequately carrying out hisduties as a director of the company, taking into consideration the director's number of listed company board representations and other principal commitments7. Guidelines should be adopted that address the competing time commitments that are faced when directors serve on multiple boards. The Board should determine the maximum number of listed company board representations which any director may hold, and disclose this in the company's Annual Report.

4.5 Boards should generally avoid approving the appointment of alternate directors. Alternate directors should only be appointed for limited periods in exceptional cases such as when a director has a medical emergency. If an alternate director is appointed, the alternate director should be familiar with the company affairs, and be appropriately qualified. If a person is proposed to be appointed as an alternate director to an independent director, the NC and the Board should review and conclude that the person would similarly qualify as an independent director, before his appointment as an alternate director. Alternate directors bear all the duties and responsibilities of a director.

4.6 A description of the process for the selection, appointment and re-appointment of directors to the Board should be disclosed in the company's Annual Report. This should include disclosure on the search and nomination process.

4.7 Key information regarding directors, such as academic and professional qualifications, shareholding in the company and its related corporations, board committees served on (as a member or chairman), date of first appointment as a director, date of last re-appointment as a director, directorships or chairmanships both present and those held over the preceding three years in other listed companies, and other principal commitments, should be disclosed in the company's Annual Report. In addition, the company's annual disclosure on corporate governance should indicate which directors are executive, non-executive or considered by the NC to be independent. The names of the directors submitted for appointment or re-appointment should also be accompanied by details and information to enable shareholders to make informed decisions. Such information, which should also accompany the relevant resolution, would include:

(a) any relationships including immediate family relationships between the candidate and the directors, the company or its 10% shareholders;

(b) a separate list of all current directorships in other listed companies; and

(c) details of other principal commitments.

BOARD PERFORMANCE

Principle:

5 There should be a formal annual assessment of the effectiveness of the Board as a whole and its board committees and the contribution by each director to the effectiveness of the Board.

Guidelines:

5.1 Every Board should implement a process to be carried out by the NC for assessing the effectiveness of the Board as a whole and its board committees and for assessing the contribution by the Chairman and each individual director to the effectiveness of the Board. The Board should state in the company's Annual Report how the assessment of the Board, its board committees and each director has been conducted. If an external facilitator has been used, the Board should disclose in the company's Annual Report whether the external facilitator has any other connection with the company or any of its directors. This assessment process should be disclosed in the company's Annual Report.

5.2 The NC should decide how the Board's performance may be evaluated and propose objective performance criteria. Such performance criteria, which allow for comparison with industry peers, should be approved by the Board and address how the Board has enhanced long-term shareholder value. These performance criteria should not be changed from year to year, and where circumstances deem it necessary for any of the criteria to be changed, the onus should be on the Board to justify this decision.

5.3 Individual evaluation should aim to assess whether each director continues to contribute effectively and demonstrate commitment to the role (including commitment of time for meetings of the Board and board committees, and any other duties). The Chairman should act on the results of the performance evaluation, and, in consultation with the NC, propose, where appropriate, new members to be appointed to the Board or seek the resignation of directors.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Principle:

6 In order to fulfil their responsibilities, directors should be provided with complete, adequate and timely information prior to board meetings and on an on-going basis so as to enable them to make informed decisions to discharge their duties and responsibilities.

Guidelines:

6.1 Management has an obligation to supply the Board with complete, adequate information in a timely manner. Relying purely on what is volunteered by Management is unlikely to be enough in all circumstances and further enquiries may be required if the particular director is to fulfil his duties properly. Hence, the Board should have separate and independent access to Management. Directors are entitled to request from Management and should be provided with such additional information as needed to make informed decisions. Management shall provide the same in a timely manner.

6.2 Information provided should include board papers and related materials, background or explanatory information relating to matters to be brought before the Board, and copies of disclosure documents, budgets, forecasts and monthly internal financial statements. In respect of budgets, any material variance between the projections and actual results should also be disclosed and explained.

6.3 Directors should have separate and independent access to the company secretary. The role of the company secretary should be clearly defined and should include responsibility for ensuring that board procedures are followed and that applicable rules and regulations are complied with. Under the direction of the Chairman, the company secretary's responsibilities include ensuring good information flows within the Board and its board committees and between Management and non-executive directors, advising the Board on all governance matters, as well as facilitating orientation and assisting with professional development as required. The company secretary should attend all board meetings.

6.4 The appointment and the removal of the company secretary should be a matter for the Board as a whole.

6.5 The Board should have a procedure for directors, either individually or as a group, in the furtherance of their duties, to take independent professional advice, if necessary, and at the company's expense.

1 A first time director is a director who has no prior experience as a director of a listed company.

2 The term "10% shareholder" shall refer to a person who has an interest or interests in one or more voting shares in the company and the total votes attached to that share, or those shares, is not less than 10% of the total votes attached to all the voting shares in the company. "Voting shares" exclude treasury shares.

3 The term "immediate family" shall have the same meaning as currently defined in the Listing Manual of the Singapore Exchange (the "Listing Manual"), i.e. the person's spouse, child, adopted child, step-child, brother, sister and parent.

4 The term "related corporation", in relation to the company, shall have the same meaning as currently defined in the Companies Act, i.e. a corporation that is the company's holding company, subsidiary or fellow subsidiary.

5 Payments for transactions involving standard services with published rates or routine and retail transactions and relationships (for instance credit card or bank or brokerage or mortgage or insurance accounts or transactions) will not be taken into account, unless special or favourable treatment is accorded.

6 A director will be considered "directly associated" with a 10% shareholder when the director is accustomed or under an obligation, whether formal or informal, to act in accordance with the directions, instructions or wishes of the 10% shareholder in relation to the corporate affairs of the corporation. A director will not be considered "directly associated" with a 10% shareholder by reason only of his or her appointment having been proposed by that 10% shareholder.

7 The term "principal commitments" shall include all commitments which involve significant time commitment such as full-time occupation, consultancy work, committee work, non-listed company board representations and directorships and involvement in non-profit organisations. Where a director sits on the boards of non-active related corporations, those appointments should not normally be considered principal commitments.

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How many independent directors should a board have Philippines?

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