Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Corporate Secretary shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Corporate Secretary offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Corporate Secretary at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Corporate Secretary? Wrong! If the Corporate Secretary is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Corporate Secretary then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Corporate Secretary? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Corporate Secretary and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Corporate Secretary wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Corporate Secretary then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Corporate Secretary site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Corporate Secretary, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Corporate Secretary, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
A
Company Secretary is a senior position in a private company or public organisation. In the United States it is known as a
Corporate Secretary.
Despite the name, the role is not a clerical or secretarial one in the usual sense. The company secretary ensures that an organisation complies with relevant legislation and regulation, and keeps board members informed of their legal responsibilities. Company Secretaries are the company’s named representative on legal documents, and it is their responsibility to ensure that the company and its directors operate within the law. It is also their responsibility to register and communicate with shareholders, to ensure that
dividends are paid and to maintain company records, such as lists of director (company)s and shareholders, and annual accounts.
In many countries, private companies have traditionally been required by law to appoint one person as a company secretary, and this person will also usually be a senior board member.
Company Secretaries in all sectors have high level responsibilities including governance structures and mechanisms, corporate conduct within an organisation's regulatory environment, board, shareholder and trustee meetings, compliance with legal, regulatory and listing requirements, the training and induction of non-executives and trustees, contact with regulatory and external bodies, reports and circulars to shareholders/trustees, management of employee benefits such as
pensions and Employee_stock_options, insurance administration and organisation, the negotiation of contracts, risk management, property administration and organisation and the interpretation of financial accounts.
Company secretaries are the primary source of advice on the conduct of business and this can span everything from legal advice on conflicts of interest, through accounting advice on financial reports, to the development of strategy and corporate planning.
Among public companies in North America, providing advice on corporate governance issues is an increasingly important role for corporate secretaries. Many shareholders, particularly institutional investors, view sound corporate governance as essential to board and company performance. They are quite vocal in encouraging boards to perform frequent corporate governance reviews and to issue written statements of corporate governance principles. The Corporate Secretary is usually the executive to assist directors in these efforts, providing information on the practices of other companies, and helping the board to tailor corporate governance principles and practices to fit the board's needs and expectations of investors. In some companies, the role of the Secretary as corporate governance adviser has been formalized, with a title such as Chief Governance Officer added to their existing title.1
In view of the important roles the Company Secretary plays in business, PLCs and large companies require the Company Secretary to be suitably trained, and professionally qualified for these responsibilities.
The Company Secretary may be qualified by virtue of examination and membership (ACIS, or FCIS) of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (
ICSA), which is the only qualification specifically for Company Secretaries. Only a person thus qualified is entitled to be designated a '
Chartered Secretary'.
Chartered Secretaries are employed as chairs, chief executives and non-executive directors, as well as executives and company secretaries.
There is a special rule about company secretary in the UK http://companieshouseonline.com/content/view/46/54/1/4/ . Despite differences in the name of the organisations - it is the same for all publicly traded companies. The secretary (or each joint secretary) of a public limited company must also be a person who appears to the directors to have the necessary knowledge and ability to fulfil the functions and who:
- held the office of secretary or assistant or deputy secretary on 22 December 1980; or
- for at least three of the five years before their appointment, held the office of secretary of a non-private company; oris a barrister, advocate or solicitor called or admitted in any part of the United Kingdom; or
- is a person who, by virtue of his or her previous experience or membership of another body, appears to the directors to be capable of discharging the functions of secretary; or
- is a member of any of the following bodies:
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales;
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland;
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland;
- the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators;
- the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants;
- the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (formally known as the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants); or
- the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.
Many Corporate Secretaries of North American public companies are lawyers and some serve as their corporation's General Counsel. But while a legal background is quite helpful in performing the role of Corporate Secretary, it is not essential. In fact, at times, having a Corporate Secretary who also provides legal advice creates interesting questions as to whether particular communications made to management are legal advice - which may be subject to the attorney-client privilege - or general corporate/business advice, which is not. Thus, the "dual hat" Corporate Secretary/lawyer must always be careful to distinguish (and, as Corporate Secretary, record) which "hat" is being worn, and whether it is legal or managerial advice that is being given to directors and management.2
Footnotes
1 -
The Corporate Secretary - Duties and Responsibilities2 -
The Corporate Secretary - Duties and Responsibilities
See also
Professional organisations
- India CS - Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)
- United Kingdom - Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA)
- North America - The Society of Corporate Secretaries & Governance Professionals
- New Zealand - Chartered Secretaries New Zealand (CSNZ)
- Hong Kong - The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (HKICS)
Other websites
Company secretaryship Course
The Corporate Secretary - Duties and Responsibilities
A
Company Secretary is a senior position in a private
company or public organisation. In the United States it is known as a
Corporate Secretary.
Despite the name, the role is not a clerical or secretarial one in the usual sense. The company secretary ensures that an organisation complies with relevant legislation and regulation, and keeps board members informed of their legal responsibilities. Company Secretaries are the company’s named representative on legal documents, and it is their responsibility to ensure that the company and its directors operate within the law. It is also their responsibility to register and communicate with
shareholders, to ensure that
dividends are paid and to maintain company records, such as lists of director (company)s and shareholders, and annual accounts.
In many countries, private companies have traditionally been required by law to appoint one person as a company secretary, and this person will also usually be a senior board member.
Company Secretaries in all sectors have high level responsibilities including governance structures and mechanisms, corporate conduct within an organisation's regulatory environment, board, shareholder and trustee meetings, compliance with legal, regulatory and listing requirements, the training and induction of non-executives and trustees, contact with regulatory and external bodies, reports and circulars to shareholders/trustees, management of employee benefits such as pensions and Employee_stock_options, insurance administration and organisation, the negotiation of contracts,
risk management, property administration and organisation and the interpretation of financial accounts.
Company secretaries are the primary source of advice on the conduct of business and this can span everything from legal advice on conflicts of interest, through accounting advice on financial reports, to the development of strategy and corporate planning.
Among public companies in North America, providing advice on corporate governance issues is an increasingly important role for corporate secretaries. Many shareholders, particularly institutional investors, view sound corporate governance as essential to board and company performance. They are quite vocal in encouraging boards to perform frequent corporate governance reviews and to issue written statements of corporate governance principles. The Corporate Secretary is usually the executive to assist directors in these efforts, providing information on the practices of other companies, and helping the board to tailor corporate governance principles and practices to fit the board's needs and expectations of investors. In some companies, the role of the Secretary as corporate governance adviser has been formalized, with a title such as Chief Governance Officer added to their existing title.1
In view of the important roles the Company Secretary plays in business, PLCs and large companies require the Company Secretary to be suitably trained, and professionally qualified for these responsibilities.
The Company Secretary may be qualified by virtue of examination and membership (
ACIS, or
FCIS) of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), which is the only qualification specifically for Company Secretaries. Only a person thus qualified is entitled to be designated a '
Chartered Secretary'.
Chartered Secretaries are employed as chairs, chief executives and non-executive directors, as well as executives and company secretaries.
There is a special rule about company secretary in the UK http://companieshouseonline.com/content/view/46/54/1/4/ . Despite differences in the name of the organisations - it is the same for all publicly traded companies. The secretary (or each joint secretary) of a public limited company must also be a person who appears to the directors to have the necessary knowledge and ability to fulfil the functions and who:
- held the office of secretary or assistant or deputy secretary on 22 December 1980; or
- for at least three of the five years before their appointment, held the office of secretary of a non-private company; oris a barrister, advocate or solicitor called or admitted in any part of the United Kingdom; or
- is a person who, by virtue of his or her previous experience or membership of another body, appears to the directors to be capable of discharging the functions of secretary; or
- is a member of any of the following bodies:
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales;
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland;
- the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland;
- the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators;
- the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants;
- the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (formally known as the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants); or
- the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.
Many Corporate Secretaries of North American public companies are lawyers and some serve as their corporation's General Counsel. But while a legal background is quite helpful in performing the role of Corporate Secretary, it is not essential. In fact, at times, having a Corporate Secretary who also provides legal advice creates interesting questions as to whether particular communications made to management are legal advice - which may be subject to the attorney-client privilege - or general corporate/business advice, which is not. Thus, the "dual hat" Corporate Secretary/lawyer must always be careful to distinguish (and, as Corporate Secretary, record) which "hat" is being worn, and whether it is legal or managerial advice that is being given to directors and management.2
Footnotes
1 -
The Corporate Secretary - Duties and Responsibilities2 -
The Corporate Secretary - Duties and Responsibilities
See also
Professional organisations
Other websites
Company secretaryship Course
The Corporate Secretary - Duties and Responsibilities
Cross Border - Home / Corporate Secretary / Inside Corporate Secretary
November 2008 The outsiders • Stunning Napster, three small retail shareholders launch a big proxy fight • Some believe investors’ success forced sale of company to Best Buy
Cross Border - Home / Corporate Secretary / Inside Corporate Secretary
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