NYSE Euronext (NYX) today announced its intention to launch a board education program designed to provide voluntary education for public and private company board members through its subsidiary Corporate Board Member. The NYSE Euronext Board Education Program will be offered to corporate directors, committee chairs and outside chairmen/lead directors as a flexible, yet comprehensive alternative to continuing education, and will provide information in the form of critical updates through an open content platform that will engage leading advocates, experts and other organizations through Corporate Board Member’s peer-based conferences, events, publications and online resources.
“The NYSE Euronext Board Education Program will be an open platform and will allow companies to take a convenient, proactive approach while encouraging their directors to be as informed as possible,” said Scott Cutler, Executive Vice President and co-head of U.S. Listings and Cash Execution, NYSE Euronext.
TK Kerstetter, President of Corporate Board Member, said the Board Education Program will offer options that are both valuable and convenient for board members. “Our goal is to prepare company boards for the current governance environment in which investor groups and others have been successfully calling for more accountability and transparency in the boardroom.” However, Kerstetter notes that a uniform approach can be counterproductive, and today’s companies need educational programs that are customized to meet their particular needs. “A one-size-fits-all concept in board regulation or governance rankings cannot tell the whole story on how boards should address their education and effectiveness,” Kerstetter said. “The NYSE Euronext Board Education Program will be flexible enough to meet the informational needs of all levels of board expertise.”
Corporate Board Member’s Board Education Program is intended for companies interested in establishing a more informed and effective board.