SIAS Wins Regional Gold Standard Award For Its Work In Promoting Good Corporate Governance In Singapore

Date: January 20, 2011

Singapore, January 20, 2011 – Securities Investors Association (Singapore), SIAS, has today been awarded The Gold Standard For Good Governance by Public Affairs Asia, in Hong Kong.

The Gold Standard Awards, organised by Public Affairs Asia, is the only programme recognizing global excellence in the field of Asia-Pacific-related public affairs, corporate affairs and governmental communications.

The Gold Standard Award for Good Governance recognises the efforts by governments, corporations and other agencies towards the reduction of cor­ruption, greater transparency, the development of good governance, and IP defence and legal compliance in Asia Pacific. It is open to corporations, government agencies, multilateral institutions and national anti-corruption commissions who can show “gold standard” achievement in a programme to combat corruption, enhance transparency or develop greater good governance within their own organisations. It is also open to third-party agencies who have worked with public or private sector organisations who have developed programmes in these arenas.

“Receiving the Gold Standard Award in Good Governance recognises the very real contribution that the SIAS has made in promoting good corporate governance among its stakeholders and investors to the bottom line benefit of all,” Mark O’Brien, Vice President (Asia Pacific), Pubic Affairs Asia.

SIAS was awarded for its work in promoting good corporate governance – through the launch of the inaugural Singapore Corporate Governance Week 2010, SIAS brought together 82 listed companies who publicly pledged to uphold the highest standards in corporate governance. In addition, SIAS organized a two-day Asian Investors’ Corporate Governance Conference, a series of Executive Workshops on Corporate Governance, a seminar for Catalist-listed companies and the Investors’ Choice Awards.

David Gerald, President and CEO, SIAS said: “Good corporate governance is key to the integrity of corporations, financial institutions and markets and central to the health and stability of our economies and as a means to protect investors and to ensure long term value creation for all stakeholders. There is now empirical evidence that companies with good corporate governance attract investment capital and have better returns on investment and equity.”

“I am indeed honored to receive this award. This would not have been possible without the assistance of our partners to raise corporate governance standards in Singapore. It is through the collective efforts of all stakeholders that Singapore has been ranked first in Asia for corporate governance in the ACGA-CLSA Corporate Governance Watch 2010.”

“Improving corporate governance is a journey, not a destination,” added Mr Gerald. “SIAS continues to remain relevant to push for higher standards for our listed companies and to also raise the retail investors’ knowledge in today’s investing climate.”

This year’s nominees for this category included SIAS – Singapore Corporate Governance Week 2010, The Shanghai Stock Exchange for the CSR reporting requirements and The Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission.

David Gerald
President/CEO
Securities Investors Association (Singapore)