After a few drafts and re-drafts, I am happy to say that the report that I have been working on has just been launched.  Enterprise governance - restoring boardroom leadership looks at what boards need to do to be more effective - and how management can support them in that task.

The key themes are the responsibility of the top management and directors to set the ethical tone from the top and ensure that what they do will put the long-term sustainability of the enterprise above short-term profits. We also argue that a board can only be as effective and as healthy as the underlying business that it governs.  

The report presents a practical, integrated model which shows all the key factors that support board effectiveness. People, behavioural issues and risk management are considered as well as supporting frameworks, processes and structures. In light of recent failures, there is a particular focus on how organisations can create a culture of ‘effective challenge’ where boards are encouraged to scrutinise management proposals.

This represents part of CIMA's response to what we regard as the biggest and most damaging failure of corporate leadership of recent times.  Understandably, there is a growing public expectation for organisations to operate ethically and responsibly as leaders look to restore trust in the corporate world.

I hope you find it interesting.  This is the first in what we plan to be a series of reports over 2010 (and beyond!), covering a wide variety of themes with global appeal, for example, business in Asia, public sector performance management - I could go on.  So even if this one is not quite your cup of tea, watch the new CIMA website for details of reports as we publish them.  Let us know what you think.  

And sorry if I am acting a bit like a London bus.  For the uninitiated, the joke is that you wait for ages for a bus - and then two turn up at once.  Bit like my blog posts..