President and Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administration of Nigeria, ICSAN, Bode Ayeku, has stated that the Institute remains the leading voice on corporate governance and public administration in Nigeria with its various advocacy programmes.
Ayeku reiterated this at the 2021 Public Lecture of the Institute Held On Friday July 16, 2021, At the Institute Secretariat, Alausa Ikeja.
He said one of the major ways the ICSAN has acquired this enviable reputation is through the various programs on topical business and national issues like Public Lecture, The Conversation, among other enlightening and educative programs.
“ICSAN is a leading, statutorily established professional body, dedicated to enhancing the status and practice of Corporate Governance and Public Administration. It is the only professional body authorized in Nigeria to conduct the examinations leading to the qualification as Chartered Secretaries and Administrators.
“Over the years, we have consistently promoted the ideals of Corporate Governance through periodic issuance of policy papers and Guidance materials on Corporate and Public Administration.
“The theme of this year’s lecture is “Sustainability Beyond Rhetoric as a Corporate Survival Strategy”. Year in and year out, the Institute has consistently chosen very apt and trendy themes for her Annual Public Lecture (and indeed for all her programmes) and this year’s theme is not an exception.
Ayeku said sustainability concepts as espoused in the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) therefore refers to the inclusion of the non-financial topics within investment decision-making. It is a business approach that, through policy mainstreaming, seeks to build long-term competitiveness without unduly compromising short-term profitability and cash flows.
“You would agree with me that the challenges foisted by COVID 19 pandemic have exacerbated the problems of sustainability in many companies and industries, the concept has become more relevant now. When we now say sustainability beyond rhetoric, what are we talking about? Nearly everyone will agree that the concept of sustainability is very vital not only for the present business operations, but for the future of human society as well.
