EUROPE – The CFA Institute has launched a 55-page manual on corporate governance for investors.

The US-based institute’s Centre for Financial Market Integrity said ‘The Corporate Governance of Listed Companies: A Manual for Investors’ aims to help analysts and investors assess firms’ corporate governance policies and the risks to consider when investing.

“A number of studies have shown that there is a strong positive link between good corporate governance practices, profitability and investment performance,” said Kurt Schacht, executive director of the CFA Centre.

“This is a factor that investors and issuers of financial securities should not ignore.”

The institute said the manual was put together by a 30-strong “task force” led by Chuck Tschampion, retired managing director at General Motors Investment Management.

The group included analysts, legal and corporate governance experts, mutual fund managers and pension consultants from 12 countries, it added.

The manual lists what investors and shareowners should consider in terms of board practices, management practices and shareowner rights as they evaluate whether the company’s corporate governance structure creates risks that could affect shareowner wealth.

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