August 14, 2017
Tomorrow’s Pre-Conference Webcast: “Pay Ratio Workshop – What You (Really) Need to Do Now”
For those registered for the upcoming “Pay Ratio & Proxy Disclosure Conference,” tune in tomorrow – 2 pm eastern (audio archive goes up when the program ends; transcript available in a week or so) – for the second in a series of three monthly webcasts that serve as a pre-conference: “Pay Ratio Workshop: What You (Really) Need to Do Now.” The first webcast was on July 20th (transcript & audio archive available); the third webcast is September 27th.
The speakers for tomorrow’s webcast are:
– Mark Borges, Principal, Compensia
– Keith Higgins, Partner, Ropes & Gray
– Scott Spector, Partner, Fenwick & West
Register Now: This is the only comprehensive conference devoted to pay ratio. Here’s the registration information for the “Pay Ratio & Proxy Disclosure Conference” to be held October 17-18th in Washington DC and via Live Nationwide Video Webcast. Here are the agendas – 20 panels over two days. Register today.
Conflict Minerals: Many Companies Still Filing Reports
Here’s an excerpt from this blog by Cooley’s Cydney Posner:
Development International has posted its most recent “Conflict Minerals Benchmarking Study,” analyzing the results of filings for the 2016 filing period. The study looked at filings submitted by the 1,153 issuers that had filed conflict minerals disclosures as of July 10, 2017. The number of issuers filing disclosures for 2016 reflected a decline of 5.6% compared to 2015. Most interesting, however, is that, notwithstanding statements from Corp Fin, echoed by the Acting SEC Chair at the time, advising companies that they would not face enforcement if they filed only a Form SD and did not include a conflict minerals report, the vast majority of companies continued to file conflict minerals reports.
PCAOB: The Board’s Half-Full or Half-Empty?
The PCAOB occasionally struggles to have a full complement of its five-member Board – similar to any federal agency – but this time, it’s perhaps taken to an extreme. On Friday, SEC Chair Clayton issued this statement that includes this blurb:
SOX provides that the PCAOB is governed by a Board of five members — two of whom must be certified public accountants, and three of whom must not be — serving for staggered five-year terms. Today, of the five PCAOB Board seats, one is vacant, two are held by members whose terms have expired, and one is held by a member whose term will expire in two months.
PCAOB Chair Jim Doty – whose term has expired – is helping to look for his successor. Jeanette Franzel’s term is also expired, and Steven Harris’s term will end in two months. Lewis Ferguson’s term ends in October 2019. So lots of changes are coming to the PCAOB’s cast of Board members…
– Broc Romanek