Deutsche Börse Group is continuing its efforts to increase transparency and raise standards on the capital markets with its qualified supervisory board examination. The "qualified supervisory board examination" is aimed at both prospective supervisory boards as well as those who have already been appointed. It offers the opportunity for board members to document their training and meet the requirements of the German Corporate Governance Code 2011 with measures for independent training and further education. The prerequisite for taking part in the examination is participation in a training course certified by Deutsche Börse Group. The target group includes companies with the legal form of a German stock corporation (AG) which are considering an initial public offering, as well as already-listed companies which want to ensure that their supervisory board members are fully qualified. "With this offer we aim to set new standards and contribute to establishing transparent and neutral criteria also for the (further) qualification of supervisory boards. We are convinced that responsible management and corporate governance are an important component of a company's economic success and serve long-term value creation," said Deutsche Börse’s Alexander Höptner, responsible for the Capital Markets Academy. The Capital Markets Academy acts by public mandate to qualify stock exchange participants.
The first qualified supervisory board exam provided by the Capital Markets Academy will be held in November 2011. The examination is computer-based and includes true or false questions as well as multiple response questions. The topics relevant for the exam cover all a supervisory board's roles and areas of responsibility. These include, among others, organisation and management of the supervisory board, corporate strategy and management, operational risk management, compliance and auditing, financing and investment, change IT and technology management, corporate governance, ethics and corporate social responsibility, liability and manager liability insurance, as well as SEs under German law.
Training courses on the qualification of supervisory boards are currently preparing members for the examination. Deutsche Börse has already certified the first course: "The Qualified Supervisory Board of Interfin Forum GmbH". Other organisers have also expressed their interest in certification. Certification of such training courses by the Capital Markets Academy is open to all providers in the field.
