FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Board Research & Advisory (BR&A) Department at IOD has been established to move the needle in board effectiveness. We assist in development of the board, as well as directors and the boardroom community, by addressing complex boardroom issues.

We engage in knowledge and resource development through research papers and surveys; board & directors' performance evaluation to track and augment board effectiveness to achieve the vision of the organisation; develop strategic foresight capabilities for boards; contribute in catalyzing the board's climate governance initiative; and extend arbitration, mediation and conciliation support.

Our engagement with boards at various levels over the last three decades lends us the sensitivity of understanding various board matters and its burning & upcoming issues. We aim to enable best practices by way of research collaboration, benchmarking, framework development, evaluation etc., keeping with IOD's mission of "Building Tomorrow's Boards".

The BR&A department provides services across five core pillars:

• Board Advisory

  Governance Review, Board Evaluation, Board Skills Analysis, KMP Evaluation

• Board Research

  Framework Building, Quantitative Surveys, Qualitative Interactive Sessions

• ESG Advisory

  ESG Strategy Development, ESG Reporting & Disclosure, Sustainability Assessments, ESG Committee Framework

• Strategic Foresights

  Sensitising boardrooms on foresight, training boardroom leaders, developing foresight frameworks

• Arbitration Services

  Arbitration, Mediation & Conciliation support

Our services and fee structures vary as per the scale and scope of each project. For overseas clients, we are pleased to offer pricing in USD.

The Institute of Directors (IOD) India offers a range of Board Advisory services:

A governance review plays a vital role in strengthening organisational performance, risk management, decision-making, and stakeholder confidence — ultimately contributing to the long-term success and sustainability of the organisation.

IOD has a comprehensive approach to governance reviews wherein the board is analysed across 10 key pillars:

Our customised assessment involves a multi-pronged approach:

• Quantitative Questionnaires

  Structured numerical assessment of board performance indicators

• Qualitative Questionnaires

  Open-ended insights into board dynamics and culture

• One-on-One Interactions

  Select board member interviews at the discretion of the Board Expert and Team

IOD employs a comprehensive and meticulous process for developing the board skills matrix and assessing individual skills of each board member. A board expert then thoroughly analyses the findings, conducts a gap analysis, and provides detailed recommendations in the form of a comprehensive report — including actionable plans for implementing the recommended measures.

Under the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, the corporate governance report mandates the inclusion of a matrix outlining the skills, expertise, and competence of the board of directors in the organisation's Annual Report. To ensure comprehensive and effective analysis and reporting, it becomes imperative for organisations to conduct a formal skills analysis.

IOD offers a comprehensive 360-degree feedback process for Key Management Personnel (KMPs) to facilitate their professional development and enhance performance. Through this feedback mechanism, we assist organisations in strengthening the capabilities of their KMPs, contributing to overall organisational growth and effective succession planning.

Timelines vary depending on scale and scope. Indicative durations are:

The BR&A department of IOD is equipped with a team of professionals and an expert panel comprising industry leaders from various sectors with more than decades of experience in corporate leadership and advisory.

We have a panel comprising experts from top corporations and trusts — including TATA Steel, L&T Mutual Fund Trustee, GHCL, Tata Sponge Iron Limited, Blackstone Embassy REIT, JSW Steel, Blue Star Limited, and many others — supported by an internal team of professionals at IOD.

IOD provides the following services in Board Research:

Our team of experienced researchers work closely with your board to identify the specific questions or issues that need to be addressed, and develop a comprehensive research plan to gather the necessary information. We design surveys tailored to your organisation's specific needs, ensuring you get the information required to make informed decisions.

Research projects typically take 6 – 8 weeks depending on the nature and scale of the survey. Our team of experienced professionals enables the process in an effective and efficient manner.

IOD has a network of 30,000 senior executives representing prominent organisations from both the private & public sectors and Government of India, from India & abroad. Additionally, we promote surveys on various social media platforms with significant reach among industry leaders.

To address the uncertainty that exists in boardrooms over how ESG might add value to organisational strategy, IOD offers assistance with the ESG Committee's role, functions, responsibilities, and key terms of reference for smooth ESG Integration. IOD has curated a panel of board leaders who are experts in ESG and sustainability.

We examine your working style and assist you in gaining clarity regarding the formation of your own ESG Committee and its duties. We also connect you to Independent Directors and ESG Experts, should you need to induct a new member in your ESG Committee.

We follow a step-by-step approach for developing a suitable and customised ESG strategy:

• Identification of ESG KPIs

  Identifying material ESG issues specific to your organisation

• Risk & Opportunity Assessment

  Assessment of ESG material issues, opportunities and risks

• Benchmarking

  Comparing against industry standards and peers

• Strategy Foresight

  Long-term planning integrating ESG into the board agenda

We offer consultations on ESG Reporting and Disclosures as identified in various reporting frameworks:

We understand, deep-delve, and assess your current ESG Strategy and ESG Oversight mechanism, using unique tools and techniques including International Benchmarking Studies. We deliver insights to help you understand and realise the full potential of your Sustainability Policy, guided by our ESG Expert Panel.