Featured Publications

May 13, 2022

She Matters: Women in Kazakhstan Corporate Leadership

This study examines 77% of all joint-stock companies in Kazakhstan, determining a clear correlation between gender diversity and financial and non-financial performance.

86 pages | © May 2022 IFC | Complimentary

Mar 11, 2022

Enquête Gouvernance et Parité -- Women on Boards in Morocco

This study, the first ever in Morocco and the Maghreb region, aims to gather data on board practices in the country and raise awareness about the importance of benefits of board diversity.

11 pages | © March 2022 CFA, IFC, PwC | Complimentary

Mar 8, 2022

How Exchanges Can Advance Gender Equality -- Updated Guidance and Best Practice

In this joint report, UN SSE and IFC identify three broad areas where stock exchanges can play a role in advancing gender equality, namely the promotion of gender-focused and/or gender-aware products and services, strengthening of market performance on gender equality, and leading by example.

51 pages | © March 2022 SSE, IFC | Complimentary

Mar 8, 2022

Realizing Sustainability through Diversity: The Case for Gender Diversity Among Sri Lanka's Business Leadership

This Updated Edition of Realizing Sustainability through Diversity: The Case for Gender Diversity Among Sri Lanka's Business Leadership highlights the progress made by Sri Lankan companies in bringing more women to their boardrooms.

57 pages | © March 2022 IFC | Complimentary

Feb 1, 2022

Internal Control Handbook

This Handbook was created out of a growing need from companies that are seeking guidance on how to strengthen internal controls due to the changing complexity of the business landscape and operating environments.

Dec 10, 2021

IFC ESG Guidebook

IFC has created this guidebook as part of a broader effort to raise awareness of ESG issues among companies and investors in developing markets.

Jun 17, 2021

Focus 15: Sustainability Committees: Structure and Practices

This paper proposes the sustainability committee as a mechanism for managing and governing sustainability and provides guidance on this issue to directors and senior managers. It draws from good practice examples of sustainability committees in both developed and emerging markets, which include: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Jun 4, 2021

Sustainability Case Studies: Lessons Learned on Leading Through Crisis and Recovering Stronger

This publication features practical guidance from successful women business leaders on how companies can build their resilience. It is based on survey data, first-hand experience, and lessons learned as these women—all working in emerging markets or fragile contexts—steered their organizations through the COVID-19 crisis.

Jun 3, 2021

Leadership Training Toolkit for State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs)

The Leadership Training Toolkit for State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) was developed to support countries’ efforts to build capacity of State ownership entities, SOE boards, and SOE senior management.

Mar 31, 2021

Guidelines on Corporate Governance for Listed Companies

The Corporate Governance Guidelines for Listed Companies are intended to raise the corporate governance standards of listed companies in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) to bring them in line with regional and global standards based on the latest G20/OECD1 Principles of Corporate Governance and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Corporate Governance Scorecard.

Feb 26, 2021

IFC and Lao Securities Commission Office (LSCO): Promoting Best Corporate Governance Practices

This publication showcases how the collaboration between IFC and Lao Securities Commission Office have raised awareness about good corporate governance and identified gaps in policy that have inspired the development of new regulations and standards in social, environmental and governance practices.

Feb 26, 2021

IFC and OJK: Raising the Bar on Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Standards

This publication showcases how IFC has become part of OJK’s journey in championing pivotal regulatory reforms in corporate governance and sustainable finance in Indonesia.

Feb 26, 2021

Special Guidance: Disclosure and Transparency in Crisis - Increasing Resilience and Building Trust During and After COVID-19

This Special Guidance is designed to help both listed and privately-owned companies disclose what they are doing to manage the economic, environmental, and social impacts of the pandemic, using IFC’s Disclosure and Transparency Framework, which is focused on strategy, governance, and performance.

Dec 31, 2020

IFC Tip Sheet on Virtual Meetings

This tip sheet provides guidance and best practices for corporate secretaries that have developed globally for virtual meetings at both the Board and Shareholder level.

Nov 11, 2020

Disclosure and Transparency During COVID-19 – Increasing Resilience and Building Trust During and After the Pandemic

This tip sheet provides guidance for both listed and privately-owned companies on how to disclose what they are doing to manage the economic, environmental, and social impacts of the pandemic, using IFC’s Disclosure and Transparency Framework, which is focused on strategy, governance, and performance. This framework promotes the issuance of standardized corporate reports and data – and provides investors and key stakeholders with the information they need to assess company resiliency, preparedness, and continued management of material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues both during and after the crisis. It can also provide guidance for stock exchanges and regulators who are adapting their disclosure and transparency framework during COVID-19.

Apr 7, 2020

Tip Sheet for Company Leadership on Crisis Response: Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic

The publication provides company leadership tips on crisis response, from each level of a corporate structure, to ensure the best practices are adopted for short and long-term business implications.

Apr 7, 2020

Portrait of Bangladesh’s Independent Directors (March 2020)

The report is part of IFC’s efforts to recognize the skills, qualifications, and time commitment made by independent directors in Bangladesh.

Dec 3, 2019

Implementing Corporate Governance Practices - A Resource Guide for Microfinance Institutions in Myanmar

This Resource Guide for Microfinance Institutions in Myanmar is part of IFC’s efforts to support the development of a sustainable microfinance sector in Myanmar. This initiative is aligned with IFC’s Financial Institutions Group’s Global Microfinance and Digital Financial Services’ efforts to improve corporate governance for financial inclusion in the region and globally with Myanmar as a pilot country, and IFC’s Corporate Governance program in Myanmar which promotes the adoption of better governance practices in the private sector. The experience and knowledge gained through this initiative will serve to support improvements in corporate governance among microfinance institutions (MFIs) in a variety of contexts.

Nov 30, 2019

Fact Sheet: Women on Boards and in Business Leadership, November 30, 2019

IFC is promoting the business case for increased board gender diversity and helping grow the pipeline of female talent to reach senior management positions. IFC is contributing to this effort by building capacity, raising awareness, and adding to the knowledge base on the value of gender-diverse boards and business leadership in emerging and frontier markets; part of its environment, social and governance work.

Nov 26, 2019

Tackling Childcare: The Business Case for Employer-Supported Childcare in Myanmar

The report, Tackling Childcare: The Business Case for Employer-Supported Childcare in Myanmar, was produced by IFC’s Gender Business Group. It contains the findings of the Tackling Childcare Study which found that when companies support their employees to balance their childcare responsibilities with their work obligations, there are many benefits. The findings are intended to provide recommendations for Myanmar businesses on how to better support the needs of working parents and to realize the business benefits of employer-supported childcare.

Oct 25, 2019

Partnering for Impact, IFC and CRMS Indonesia

With IFC’s support, Indonesia’s Center for Risk Management Studies (CRMS) has broadened delivery of its CG training programs to other countries in East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe. Going forward, CRMS Indonesia will continue to build its capacity on ESG issues as it broadens its core services into governance, compliance, and sustainability.

Oct 4, 2019

SME Governance Guidebook

This Guidebook specifically addresses the challenges and opportunities faced by SMEs at the various stages of their lifecycles, offering tailored corporate governance recommendations. The Guidebook includes the Action Planning Tool to help SME owners, investors, and managers take a pragmatic approach to governance, as a means of strengthening their businesses over the long term.

Jul 30, 2019

Women on Board in Egypt - How Gender-Diverse Boards Bring Value to Egyptian Companies

A research study on the relationship between gender diversity on corporate boards and a company’s financial performance in Egypt. The study examines the barriers to female participation on boards, highlights opportunities to increase the number of women in boardrooms and proposes recommendations on how to achieve greater gender equality in the boardroom, build a pipeline of female business leaders, and promote gender-equality practices in the Egyptian labor market.

Jul 30, 2019

Women on Board in Lebanon - How Gender-Diverse Boards Bring Value to Lebanese Companies

The study examines the current status of gender diversity, the barriers to female participation on boards and obstacles preventing optimal performance once in these positions in the corporate world. It highlights opportunities to increase the number of women in Lebanese boardrooms and proposes recommendations on how to achieve greater gender equality in the boardroom.

Jul 29, 2019

The Business Case for Workplace Responses to Domestic and Sexual Violence in Fiji

This study, which identifies the impacts of domestic and sexual violence on Fijian employees and employers, has been conducted to inform the development of tailored solutions for the business community in Fiji.