The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN) has underscored the importance of ethical standards, regulatory compliance, and active stakeholders’ participation as elements that are increasingly pivotal for sustainable corporate success.
The institute said in the contemporary landscape of corporate governance, the imperatives of the elements are no longer standalone priorities, but mutually reinforcing pillars essential for sustainable corporate responsibility.
President and Chairman of Council, ICSAN, Funmi Ekundayo, said this at this year’s Governance Practitioners’ Day, organised by the institute, with the theme ‘Integrating Ethics and Compliance with Stakeholders’ Engagement for Sustainable Corporate Reporting’.
She said the theme, which is particularly timely and profoundly significant, seeks to examine the dynamic interdependence between these elements, and how their effective integration could elevate governance standards, foster institutional trust and secure long-term organisational resilience.
Ekundayo said the theme further emphasises a paradigm shift from reactive compliance and transactional stakeholder management to proactive ethical leadership and collaborative value creation.
According to her, it invites a deeper inquiry into how organisations can institutionalise ethical principles, reinforce compliance frameworks, and cultivate authentic relationships with their stakeholders.
“It is a fact that ethics without enforcement is not enough, compliance without conscience is not sustainable, and stakeholder engagement without sincerity is a lost cause.
“But when these three pillars, ethics, compliance, and engagement, are aligned, we begin to build institutions that people can trust, businesses that can thrive long-term, and societies that are attuned to sustainable development,” she said.
The institute’s Chairman, Governance Practitioners’ Committee, Lynda Onefeli, said the event represents one of the institute’s many strategic initiatives designed to enhance professional capacity while also making tangible contributions to the broader socioeconomic advancement of our nation.
According to her, “The ICSAN Governance Practitioners’ Day serves as a distinguished platform for convening thought leaders and professionals within the governance sphere. It offers a valuable opportunity to critically engage on pertinent issues affecting our profession and to collaboratively generate innovative ideas aimed at advancing the frontiers of governance knowledge.”
