英国特许会计师协会 内部文件 董事的指导意见综合守则

InternalControlGuidanceforDirectorsontheCombinedCodeISBN1841520101PublishedbyTheInstituteofCharteredAccountantsinEngland&WalesCharteredAccountants’HallPOBox433MoorgatePlaceLondonEC2P2BJInternet:©TheInstituteofCharteredAccountantsinEngland&WalesFurthercopiescanbeobtainedfrom:AccountancyBooksPOBox21375LondonWC1N1QPTelephone02079208991Fax[phone]’sguidanceisconsistentwithboththerequirementsoftheCombinedCodeandoftherelatedListingRuledisclosurerequirements,andclarifiestoboardsofdirectorsoflistedcompanieswhatisexpectedofthem.WeconsiderthatcompliancewiththeguidancewillconstitutecompliancewithCombinedCodeprovisionsD.2.1andD.2.2andprovideappropriatenarrativedisclosureofhowCodeprincipleD.2hasbeenapplied.OncetheguidancehasbeenadoptedinfullbyacompanytheguidanceonInternalControlandFinancialReporting(theRuttemanguidance)willhavebeensupersededandfullcompliancewiththeCombinedCodeandListingRulerequirementsispossible.PaulGeradineHeadofListingLondonStockExchangeSeptember1999InternalControl2ContentsParagraphnumber(s)IntroductionInternalcontrolrequirementsoftheCombinedCode1-7Objectivesoftheguidance8-9Theimportanceofinternalcontrolandriskmanagement10-13Groupsofcompanies14TheAppendix15MaintainingasoundsystemofinternalcontrolResponsibilities16-19Elementsofasoundsystemofinternalcontrol20-24ReviewingtheeffectivenessofinternalcontrolResponsibilities25-26Theprocessforreviewingeffectiveness27-34Theboard’sstatementoninternalcontrol35-41Internalaudit42-47AppendixAssessingtheeffectivenessofthecompany’sriskandcontrolprocessesMembershipoftheInternalControlWorkingPartyInternalControl3IntroductionInternalcontrolrequirementsoftheCombinedCode1.WhentheCombinedCodeoftheCommitteeonCorporateGovernance(theCode)waspublished,theInstituteofCharteredAccountantsinEngland&WalesagreedwiththeLondonStockExchangethatitwouldprovideguidancetoassistlistedcompaniestoimplementtherequirementsintheCoderelatingtointernalcontrol.2.PrincipleD.2oftheCodestatesthat‘Theboardshouldmaintainasoundsystemofinternalcontroltosafeguardshareholders’investmentandthecompany’sassets’.3.ProvisionD.2.1statesthat‘Thedirectorsshould,atleastannually,conductareviewoftheeffectivenessofthegroup’ssystemofinternalcontrolandshouldreporttoshareholdersthattheyhavedoneso.Thereviewshouldcoverallcontrols,includingfinancial,operationalandcompliancecontrolsandriskmanagement’.4.ProvisionD.2.2statesthat‘Companieswhichdonothaveaninternalauditfunctionshouldfromtimetotimereviewtheneedforone’.5.Paragraph12.43AoftheLondonStockExchangeListingRulesstatesthat‘inthecaseofacompanyincorporatedintheUnitedKingdom,thefollowingadditionalitemsmustbeincludedinitsannualreportandaccounts:(a)anarrativestatementofhowithasappliedtheprinciplessetoutinSection1oftheCombinedCode,providingexplanationwhichenablesitsshareholderstoevaluatehowtheprincipleshavebeenapplied;(b)astatementastowhetherornotithascompliedthroughouttheaccountingperiodwiththeCodeprovisionssetoutinSection1oftheCombinedCode.AcompanythathasnotcompliedwiththeCodeprovisions,orcompliedwithonlysomeoftheCodeprovisionsor(inthecaseofprovisionswhoserequirementsareofacontinuingnature)compliedforonlypartofanaccountingperiod,mustspecifytheCodeprovisionswithwhichithasnotcomplied,and(whererelevant)forwhatpartoftheperiodsuchnon-compliancecontinued,andgivereasonsforanynon-compliance’.6.ThePreambletotheCode,whichisappendedtotheListingRules,makesitclearthatthereisnoprescribedformorcontentforthestatementsettingouthowthevariousprinciplesintheCodehavebeenapplied.Theintentionisthatcompaniesshouldhaveafreehandtoexplaintheirgovernancepoliciesinthelightoftheprinciples,includinganyspecialcircumstanceswhichhaveledtothemadoptingaparticularapproach.7.Theguidanceinthisdocumentshouldbefollowedbyboardsoflistedcompaniesin:lassessinghowthecompanyhasappliedCodeprincipleD.2;limplementingtherequirementsofCodeprovisionsD.2.1andD.2.2;andlreportingonthesematterstoshareholdersintheannualreportandaccounts.Objectivesoftheguidance8.Thisguidanceisintendedto:lreflectsoundbusinesspracticewherebyinternalcontrolisembeddedinthebusinessprocessesbywhichacompanypursuesitsobjectives;lremainrelevantovertimeinthecontinuallyevolvingbusinessenvironment;andlenableeachcompanytoapplyitinamannerwhichtakesaccountofitsparticularcircumstances.TheguidancerequiresdirectorstoexercisejudgementinreviewinghowthecompanyhasimplementedtherequirementsoftheCoderelatingtointernalcontrolandreportingtoshareholdersthereon.9.Theguidanceisbasedontheadoptionbyacompany’sboardofaris