Lionheart Client Update:

Elevating Board Effectiveness for Registered Charities in Ireland

Effective governance is vital for registered charities in Ireland to fulfil their missions, comply with regulations, and maintain public trust. By aligning board practices with the Charities Governance Code and incorporating best governance principles, charities can significantly enhance their operational and strategic impact. Below is a consolidated guide combining key recommendations for improving board effectiveness.

Lionheart Client Update:

The Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024

The New AI Act

National Cyber Security Bill 2024

Good Governance

If you are looking for a way to improve your Board's performance, consider engaging Lionheart Corporate Governance to conduct your Board evaluation. Lionheart can help you identify areas where the board is excelling and areas where it can improve. Lionheart can also help you develop a plan to address any potential problems.

Feel free to contact us at admin@lionheart.ie or fiona@lionheart.ie

In today's rapidly evolving society, it seems to us that the principles of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are not just moral imperatives but strategic necessities. At Lionheart Corporate Governance, we believe that embedding these values into the core of regulated Irish charities can crystallise profound societal change, ensuring that every individual and our community thrives.

Happy Easter 2024

Happy Easter to all our clients, colleagues and partners and to their respective families.

Navigating the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations into corporate governance frameworks is pivotal for boards seeking to align their strategies with sustainability objectives. This Lionheart Corporate Governance set of questions is designed to guide directors through the critical aspects of embedding ESG principles into governance practices, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge to make informed decisions that reflect the organisation's commitment to sustainability.

Lionheart Triumphs at the Irish Enterprise Awards 2024

Dublin, Ireland – Lionheart is proud to announce its prestigious victory at the Irish Enterprise Awards 2024, hosted by EU Business News Magazine. This recognition places Lionheart Website among an elite group of businesses celebrated for their groundbreaking contributions and innovative solutions across various sectors in Ireland.

Happy St Patricks Day

Happy St Patricks day to all our clients, colleagues and partners and to their respective families.

We hope you have a great day

As corporate governance professionals the team at Lionheart Corporate Governance, are regularly engaging with Boards on the critical importance of cybersecurity. The recent surge in high-profile cyberattacks has highlighted the significant business risks posed by these threats, from financial loss and reputational damage to system downtime and customer attrition.

The Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023, emerging from extensive consultations within the charity sector, introduces several critical updates to the regulatory framework governing charities. These changes, aimed at enhancing clarity, accountability, and governance within the sector, also bring with them a varying degree of administrative implications for charities. We have set out our perspective on some the amendments as follows, focusing on their potential administrative burden and importance for streamlining compliance.

In our practice here at Lionheart Corporate Governance where we deal in the realm of modern governance, #ESG discussions reign supreme, significantly impacting investor relations and regulatory landscapes.

What we are seeing with Irish Board Directors seeking continuous professional development (CPD) or Effective Board Evaluations, is that they are honing in on the "S" in ESG—which represents the Social aspect—clearly at this point its become a strategic priority.

As we look ahead to 2024, it's clear that the corporate governance landscape is rapidly evolving. The trends that have shaped the past few years - from increased standards for sustainability reporting to rising gender diversity on corporate boards - are expected to continue, but with new challenges and opportunities on the horizon.

Cyber Security September Event 

From December 17, 2023, The Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022 expands its reach to organisations with 50 to 249 employees.

This landmark legislation, enacted in January 2023, transposes the EU Whistleblowing Directive and mandates robust reporting channels for workers to safely disclose concerns about wrongdoing.

Previously, the Act's obligations applied exclusively to private sector organisations with 250 or more employees, along with public bodies and entities governed by specific EU regulations.

With the upcoming expansion, employers with 50 to 249 employees must now establish formal reporting procedures to safeguard whistleblowers.

The Act emphasises the confidentiality of whistleblower identities, ensuring that reporting individuals are not subjected to retaliation or dismissal.

It also broadens the scope of protected disclosures to include a wider range of wrongdoing, encompassing areas like environmental breaches and public health concerns.

Lionheart Corporate Governance is advising its clients whose obligations may come under the Act to thoroughly review their existing whistleblower policies to ensure compliance and alignment with the Act's requirements.

At a recent Lionheart Corporate Governance Non Executive Director CPD Module we were discussing the challenges of trying to benchmark culture and to illustrate the challenge we asked the participants to imagine a large, traditional Irish company, such as Ryanair, acquiring a smaller, more agile start-up, such as Aer Arann.

We frequently get asked to explain the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) to Boards of Directors.

The CSRD is a new EU law that will require large companies and listed SMEs to report on their sustainability performance. It is the biggest change in sustainability reporting regulation in over a decade, and it will come into force on a phased basis from January 2024.

In observance of Charity Trustees' Week, Lionheart Corporate Governance offers vital insights into the roles and responsibilities of charity trustees.

This snapshot underscores the significance of compliance and effective governance in the charity sector. It outlines key focus areas, including policy development, conflict management, and risk assessment. By leveraging Lionheart's extensive experience in charity governance, the piece provides actionable guidance for trustees. The article concludes with an offer for professional consultation from Lionheart, positioning it as a valuable resource for trustees seeking to enhance their organisations governance and legal adherence.

In our practice here at Lionheart Corporate Governance where we deal in the realm of modern governance, #ESG discussions reign supreme, significantly impacting investor relations and regulatory landscapes.

What we are seeing with Irish Board Directors seeking continuous professional development (CPD) or Effective Board Evaluations, is that they are honing in on the "S" in ESG—which represents the Social aspect—clearly at this point its become a strategic priority.

At a recent Lionheart Corporate Governance Non Executive Director CPD Module we were discussing the challenges of trying to benchmark culture and to illustrate the challenge we asked the participants to imagine a large, traditional Irish company, such as Ryanair, acquiring a smaller, more agile start-up, such as Aer Arann.

Cyber Security September Event 

Rethinking Board Culture - A Guide for Non Executive Directors 

Recent cyber attacks have showcased the ever-evolving nature of cyber threats. In Ireland, the HSE ransomware attack compromised critical healthcare infrastructure, while the UK's Colonial Pipeline incident underscored the potential for cyber attacks to disrupt critical services. These cases exemplify the urgency with which boards must grasp the complex threat landscape.

Lionheart are delighted to sponsor the 2023 Lucas Lecture.

This years outstanding event was hosted at the RDS and the lecture on the Légion d’honneur was given by the Ambassador of France to Ireland HE Vincent Guérend pictured here with Prof Owen Lewis, Past President RDS, Patrick Downes, Chair Lucas Committee, John Dardis President RDS, Hilary Haugh, Vice President, RDS