ASX has recently published an updated version of ASX Listing Rules Guidance Note 9 Disclosure of Corporate Governance Practices (Guidance Note 9).  The updates to Guidance Note 9 are due to come into effect on 1 January 2020, which is the same date that the fourth edition of the Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations (Principles and Recommendations) comes into effect.

Guidance Note 9 provides new and updated guidance on:

• disclosure of corporate governance policies, including the requirement (in conjunction with the Principles and Recommendations) for a listed entity to have and disclose (in full) a diversity policy, code of conduct, whistleblower policy, anti-bribery and corruption policy, and continuous disclosure policy; and
• the ASX Corporate Governance Council’s recommendations on:
• diversity;
• the process to verify integrity of periodic corporate reports;
• investor and analyst presentations;
• environmental and social risks; and
• policy on hedging equity incentive schemes.

The updated Guidance Note 9 can be accessed by the link: https://www.asx.com.au/documents/regulation/asx-gn-9-fourth-edition.pdf and the Principles and Recommendations can be accessed by the link: https://www.asx.com.au/documents/asx-compliance/cgc-principles-and-recommendations-fourth-edn.pdf

Please get in touch with one of the Sierra Legal team if you need any assistance with:

• compliance with the new Principles and Recommendations;
• preparing any new, or reviewing any existing policies to ensure compliance with the new Principles and Recommendations; or
• any other corporate governance matters during the up-coming reporting season, including the preparation of notice of meetings.