The document introduces a new competency framework for governance professionals. It discusses the development of the framework, which involved literature reviews, interviews, workshops and testing over 10 months. The framework has four components: Understanding, Practice, Values and Levels of Achievement (Entry, Emerging, Established, Excelling). It provides behavior statements as examples of how the framework can be used for self-assessment, development of others, and reviewing organizational approaches to development. Next steps include making an interactive online version and using the framework for skills audits, recruitment, and developing CPD offerings. Feedback on the framework is requested.

1. What makes a great company
secretary or governance professional?
Introducing the new competency framework and its applications

2. Our session today
• Why we are focusing on competencies for governance
• Who the framework is for
• How we’ve developed it
• What we’ve created
• Ways it can be used
• Next steps and feedback

3. Where this work began
• Changing nature of the role of the company secretary
• Emergence of governance roles outside the secretariat
• Pace and nature of change in governance requirements
• Innovation in our syllabus and new professional designation
• Next generation of employers, talent managers and potential students
• Right ingredients, but no recipe
• Need for a holistic picture

4. Why a competency framework?
It gives us:
• A map of professional behaviours and actions that are valuable,
recognised and rewarded
• Clear expectations of areas and levels of performance
• An authoritative standard for benchmarking ourselves and others
(Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development)

5. Who the framework is for
• Our members: A foundation for a more systematic approach to self-development
and the development of others across all career stages.
• Employers and talent managers: To support recruitment, retention, skills
auditing and succession planning.
• Prospective students and their advisors: Helping to demonstrate a professional
in the round.
• Educators: Sharing understanding beyond technical content.
• Ourselves: In developing and mapping new content, event, and learning
opportunities to ensure that the Institute is relevant and can add value for
members at all levels.

6. Development aims and principles
Our aim was to create a framework that is:
• Forward-looking
• Sustainable
• Universal
• Accessible
• Versatile
Through a process that is
• Evidence-based
• Practitioner-led
• Rigorous and robust

7. Development activities
5 stages over 10 months, including:
• Literature review
• Modelling
• Testing – interviews and workshops to elicit behavioural statements
• Writing
• Review and publication

8. 8
The model

9. The four components of Understanding
Understanding
• Strategy & culture
• Regulation & compliance
• Finance & risk
• Governance

10. The four components of Practice
Practice
• Planning & organising
• Advising & recording
• Anticipating & solving problems
• Influencing & enabling

11. The four components of Values
Values
• Doing the right thing
• Maintaining independence
• Being open-minded
• Being purposeful

12. The four levels of achievement
Entry Emerging Established Excelling
Those at the entry
level work on
process and
research-led
activities, often
including
administrative and
organisational tasks
that support the
work of the team.
Their activities are
largely supervised
by others.
Those at the
emerging level are
trusted to work
independently on a
portfolio of activities.
They may take the
lead on specific
initiatives and may
have responsibility
for the activities of
others.
Those at the
established level
show mastery in
their work. They are
trusted advisors and
leaders, who
exercise good
judgement across
planned and
unplanned
situations.
Those at the
excelling level play a
valued part in
strategic leadership.
They influence the
governance agenda,
are frequently
consulted and
actively support the
development of
other governance
professionals.

13. Knowledge is based upon the new curriculum

14. Development of behaviour statements #1
Core understanding Entry Emerging Established Excelling
1. The sources of law and
regulation relating to the
organisation, where it comes
from, what it requires and what
impact that has.
2. Where authority and
accountability lie within the
organisation.
3. The administrative
arrangements that are critical
to the smooth operation of the
organisation.
4. The purpose and
requirements of the reporting
obligations of the organisation.
Knows where to seek
further guidance
Knows where to
obtain further
guidance if necessary
and is able to explain
these concepts to
colleagues
A source of further
guidance for others
and able to explain
these concepts to the
board
Exercise authority
over and
accountability for the
governance function
Able to identify
potential issues and
escalate as
appropriate and
contribute to internal
discussions
Able to identify
potential issues and
resolve most cases,
challenging colleagues
and third parties
where appropriate and
escalating rarely
Be an authoritative
voice on these issues,
able to draft internal
communications and
present to the board
Able to contribute to
technical discussions
on these issues
internally and amongst
professional peers
Contribute to technical
discussions on these
issues with
government and
regulators and across
the sector which may
include speaking at
events and/or
contributing articles to
professional
magazines
Knowledge: Strategy, risk and culture

15. Core practice Entry Emerging Established Excelling
Enables the board to
develop a robust
schedule for governance
and compliance by
structuring contributions
effectively.
Organises for the
Current period and to
next board meetings (c.3
months)
Plans the board
schedule to next period
(c.6-12 months)
Plans current and
future board schedules
(c.1-3 years)
Sets the long-term
planning and strategy
(3-5 years)
Undertakes logistical and
functional activity against
a prescribed plan
Responsible for early
stage routine planning,
anticipating issues and
proposing solutions
Plans the annual work
cycle, with awareness
of issues beyond it
Directs others' planning
and prioritising with a
view to the medium
and long term and
ensures the
responsiveness and
flexibility of the
governance function
Works under
supervision, but
prioritises own workload
and is trusted to get the
basics right
Manages single or
specific projects
Oversees programmes
with responsibility for
the implementation of
multiple projects and
quality assurance of
outputs
Acts as a sponsor for
projects outside own
field
Works largely within own
team or department
Works across the
organisation
Is organisationally
focused but with good
awareness of wider
picture
Actively engages
with wider
sectoral
issues
Development of behaviour statements
Practice: Planning & organising

16. Applications #1 Self-assessment
• Benchmark where you are now by giving values to each level
• Expectations open – a consistent level score may not be possible
• Use gaps to evaluate development needs
• Set development goals and tactics
• In time, retest

17. Applications #2 Development of others
• Introduce as part of annual review cycle – supplement to internal
documentation
• Use as basis for benchmarking feedback and setting goals and
expectations
• Establish a development plan and tactics
• In time, retest

18. Applications #3 Review your organisation’s approach
• Biggest focus/investment typically upon knowledge, not skills
• Use framework to benchmark the balance of formal and informal
development opportunities your organisation provides
• Identify priority gaps and find creative ways to fill them – instinct is often
a course but all sorts of experiential ways of learning can create a rich
offer.
• Also provides a reliable foundation for recruitment and job descriptions

19. Next steps
• Our members: An interactive version online, linked to guidance on self
evaluation, CPD planning & management & goal setting
• Employers and talent managers: Sample skills audit and role
descriptions & using in our application for degree-level apprenticeship
status
• Prospective students and their advisors: Part of outreach presentations
• Ourselves: In ongoing review and development of our CPD offer, as an
organising principle and benchmark for new ideas.

20. Your feedback
Thank you
cevans@icsa.org.uk