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Access all documents on UK Corporate Governance Code or UKCG Code

UK Corporate Governance Code or UKCG Code meaning

What does UK Corporate Governance Code or UKCG Code mean?
The UK corporate governance Code (UKCG Code) sets recognised standards for board governance of UK‑listed equity companies, covering leadership, division of responsibilities, composition, audit, risk and internal controls, and remuneration. It is not legislation; it is issued by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and applied through the FCA listing Rules on a comply‑or‑explain basis. The Code applies to companies with equity shares in the UK listing category for commercial companies (previously premium). Companies must explain in their annual report how they apply the Principles and whether they comply with, or depart from, the Provisions. The 2024 UK Corporate Governance Code applies for financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2025. The new board declaration on the effectiveness of material internal controls (Provision 29) applies from 1 January 2026. AIM companies are not required to follow the UKCG Code (many use the QCA Code) but may adopt it voluntarily. Investment companies may apply the AIC Code under the Listing Rules. In Ireland, issuers with a London listing typically report against the UKCG Code; Euronext Dublin imposes a compatible regime via its Irish Corporate Governance Annex on a similar comply‑or‑explain basis.
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View the related Checklists about UK Corporate Governance Code or UKCG Code

CHECKLISTS
UK Corporate Governance Code 2012 vs 2010: Archived Checklist of Key Governance, Audit and Reporting Changes

ARCHIVED: This archived checklist summarises how the 2012 edition of the UK Corporate Governance Code differed from the 2010 UK Corporate Governance Code. It is not maintained and is supplied for background information only. Checklist—2010 UKCG Code and 2012 UKCG Code compared In September 2012, the Financial Reporting Council issued a new edition of the UK Corporate Governance Code (the 2012 UKCG Code) following its two-yearly consultation on potential amendments to the UK Corporate Governance Code (UKCG Code), which began in April 2012. The 2012 UKCG Code applies to companies with accounting periods commencing on or after 1 October 2012. The points below indicate how the 2012 UKCG Code varied from the version released in 2010 (the 2010 UKCG Code): Governance and the Code: Wording unique to the 2010 edition and the preceding review of the UKCG Code has been removed. Preface: Wording unique to the 2010 edition and the preceding review of the UKCG Code has been removed...

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CHECKLISTS
Audit committee composition: UK corporate governance and DTR requirements with investor guidance for quoted and investment companies

This Checklist outlines the requirements of the UK Corporate Governance Code and the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules concerning the composition of audit committees in quoted companies, alongside best practice set out by leading representative bodies for institutional investors. It further reflects guidance issued by the Quoted Companies Alliance for small and mid-size quoted entities, and by the Association of Investment Companies for investment companies. The summary draws on the UK Corporate Governance Code (UKCG Code) to set expectations for committee make-up and expertise. Quoted companies (other than investment companies) The audit committee must consist of at least three independent non-executive directors, or two for smaller companies (ie those outside the FTSE 350). The chair of the board should not sit on the committee. The board should assure itself that at least one committee member has recent and relevant financial experience. As a whole, the audit committee should possess competence relevant to the sector in which the company operates... ...

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CHECKLISTS
2014–2016 UK Corporate Governance Code comparison: archived checklist of audit committee competence, external audit tendering and reporting changes reflecting EU audit reforms

ARCHIVED: This archived checklist outlines the ways in which the 2016 iteration of the UK Corporate Governance Code varied from the 2014 UK Corporate Governance Code. It is not updated and is supplied for background purposes only. Checklist—2014 UKCG Code and 2016 UKCG Code compared In April 2016, the Financial Reporting Council issued a fresh edition of the UK Corporate Governance Code (the 2016 UKCG Code) to incorporate changes arising from Regulation (EU) 537/2014 (EU Audit Regulation), Directive 2014/56/EU (Statutory Audit Amending Directive) and the Statutory Audit Services for Large Companies Market Investigation (Mandatory Use of Competitive Tender Processes and Audit Committee Responsibilities) Order 2014 (Statutory Audit Services Order). The 2016 UKCG Code applied to companies with accounting periods starting on or after 17 June 2016. This table sets out how the 2016 UKCG Code diverged from the text issued in 2014 (the 2014 UKCG Code); differences are shown using italics (inserted wording) and square brackets (removals): Provision 2014 UKCG Code 2016 UKCG Code Preface Language specific to...

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View the related Practice Notes about UK Corporate Governance Code or UKCG Code

PRACTICE NOTES
Publication, laying and website disclosure of UK companies' annual accounts and reports: Companies Act 2006, FCA DTR/Listing Rules, UKCG Code and AIM Rules—timing, signatures, penalties, NSM and ESEF

Rules and guidance The principal rules on publishing and laying a company’s annual accounts and reports appear in Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006). For these purposes, a company’s annual accounts and reports comprise: the annual accounts the directors' report the strategic report (unless the company is not obliged to prepare one) the directors' remuneration report, which may include a directors’ remuneration policy, and any separate corporate governance statement not included in the directors' report (for a quoted company) the auditor’s report on the accounts, the directors’ report, the strategic report, the auditable part of any directors’ remuneration report and any separate corporate governance statement (unless the company qualifies for audit exemption) Certain statutory requirements governing publication and laying differ according to whether the company is public or private, and whether it is quoted or unquoted. Quoted companies cover UK companies with shares listed in the UK or in another EEA state; AIM companies do...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK Risk Committees: UKCG Code, UK Listing Rules/DTRs, Walker Review, FRC/CGI Guidance—Duties, Composition, Operation, Reporting for Listed Companies and Financial Services Firms

UKCG Code, UK Listing Rules and DTRs The UKCG Code applies to companies that hold a listing of equity shares in the equity shares (commercial companies) category, whether incorporated in the UK or elsewhere, and it sets out provisions on the establishment of committees of the board. It requires the creation of an audit committee, and it also envisages that, in particular circumstances, companies with a listing of equity shares in the equity shares (commercial companies) category may wish to establish a separate risk committee. For further guidance on audit committees, see Practice Note: The audit committee. Under the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) UK Listing Rules (UKLR), all companies with a listing of equity shares in the equity shares (commercial companies) category are required either to comply with the provisions of the UKCG Code or to explain to shareholders in their next annual report why they have not done so, reflecting the 'comply or explain' principle...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK Corporate Governance Code Section 5: Remuneration—Principles, Committee Responsibilities, Investor Expectations and Reporting (2018 Code with 2024 Update)

STOP PRESS: The latest UK Corporate Governance Code (2024 UKCG Code) was issued on 22 January 2024, introducing modest updates to the version released in 2018 (2018 UKCG Code). The 2024 UKCG Code will apply to accounting periods starting on or after 1 January 2025, except for Provision 29, which concerns a board declaration regarding internal controls and will take effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026. In parallel, the best practice guidance that supported the 2018 UKCG Code has been merged into a single digital source to accompany the 2024 UKCG Code. For more detail, see News Analysis: UK Corporate Governance Code 2024 published—what’s changed? This Resource Note sets out the key provisions in Section 5 of the UK Corporate Governance Code on ‘Remuneration’, and points to relevant third party materials, guidance, commentary and analysis, alongside resources, to offer practical support on applying the Code...

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