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PIC Corporate Governance Rating Matrix

The Centre was appointed by the South African Public Investment Corporation (PIC) in 2008 to develop a Corporate Governance Rating Matrix to be applied to listed South African corporations. The PIC is a government-owned asset manager and its biggest client is the Government Employees Pension Fund. As at the 31st March 2011 the total PIC assets under management is R1.032 trillion making it one of the largest asset managers on the African continent. During the first two years the research included the top 40 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). In 2011 this has was expanded to the top 100 companies listed on the JSE. The top 100 will be researched again in 2012.

The team that developed the matrix comprised Prof Bob Garratt (chairman of the Centre), Thina Siwendu (senior research fellow of the Centre), Daniel Malan (director of the Centre), Deon Botha (Corporate Governance Specialist at the PIC and senior research fellow of the Centre), as well as external experts that included Prof Philip Sutherland, Tom Wixley and Kwanele Gumbi.

The matrix incorporates existing PIC, South African and international corporate governance standards and best practice. Compliance-related information received from the PIC was balanced with "softer" measures on adherence to the fundamental corporate governance values of transparency, honesty and accountability. The emphasis was on the development of core indicators that focus on material issues and performance, rather than extensive tick-box questions on technical issues.

In 2012, five analysts have been appointed to undertake the research.

Download PDF New Matrix Launched to Measure Corporate Governance Levels in SA

For more information, contact deon.botha@usb.ac.za