IoD Members' Update
December 2021
Dear Member

I hope you are keeping well.

Our quarterly Director Sentiment Monitor surveys provide us with valuable insights and feedback from you on a range of issues and your continued engagement with our research questionnaires is much appreciated and valued. Below you will find a link to our Q4 survey, which takes just a few minutes to complete. We would be very interested to hear your views on the key issues of the moment. Thank you to those that have already completed it.

On the topic of surveys, we recently teamed up with the Diligent Institute in conducting research on the topic of 'ESG Strategy, Leadership, and Integration in Irish Companies'. You may have heard reference to it in the media. Below you will find a link to the final report, which has findings in relation to ESG ownership and oversight at board level, the impact of COVID-19, ESG integration and metrics (including training and executive compensation), and ESG strategy and implementation.

The final workshop of our IoD Essentials Workshop Series for this calendar year takes place on 13th December. ‘Great Strategy in Uncertain Times' will be led by Professor Simon Haslam, Chartered Director. Amongst other topics, the workshop will provide participants with an appreciation of the limits of classic strategy models and how today’s turbulent times have changed strategy. 

I am delighted to announce our new IoD Essentials Workshop Series for Spring 2022 (details below). Like its predecessors, this series will be delivered by expert tutors and will be designed specifically for directors and business leaders. It will be a combination of in-class workshops at the Irish Management Institute (IMI), and online workshops. The series begins with ‘Finance for Company Directors’, with Caroline Kirrane, CFA Charterholder, on 15th February 2022.

I am also delighted to announce that Accenture will be continue to be our sponsor for the IoD Briefings Series in 2022 and that IQ-EQ will continue to be our sponsor for the Lunch Bites @ the IoD series. We greatly value both their support and partnership.

If you missed previous events or would like a recap, our recent, engaging webinar featuring Professor Pete Lunn, who offered his insights on 'Challenges for Organisations and Leaders as the Pandemic Persists: Lessons from Behavioural Science' is available to view online now. This, like other recent webinars, is still available 24/7 on our website or you can access them via the links below.

When the final analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic is written, one of the less obvious casualties of this recent period will, surely, be recognised. In our blog this month, Becky Bristow, Executive Director of Dogs Trust Ireland, offers her insights into how dogs – and the Dogs Trust charity itself – have been faring during these challenging times.

Thank you.

Maura Quinn
Chief Executive
Institute of Directors (IoD) in Ireland
Accenture and IQ-EQ Supporting IoD Events in 2022
We are delighted to announce that Accenture and IQ-EQ will continue to support our events in 2022, with Accenture as the exclusive sponsor of the IoD Briefings Series, and IQ-EQ as the exclusive sponsor of the Lunch Bites @ the IoD Series. 

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. IQ-EQ is a leading investor services group that combines global expertise with an unwavering focus on client service delivery.

We are looking forward to working with both our sponsors. Their support will allow us to continue to bring a wealth of leading experts and thought leaders to our members throughout our events schedule in 2022. 
Tell Us Your Views: IoD Director Sentiment Monitor Q4 2021
The quarterly IoD Ireland Director Sentiment Monitor tracks our members’ sentiments across a range of parameters and issues. The latest research covering the period Q4 2021 is currently underway and all members are invited to complete the survey. It takes approximately five minutes to complete.

We value and appreciate your participation.

We would welcome your views on key areas/issues. These include:

  • the potential impact of general and wage inflation
  • supply chain difficulties
  • ESG matters and measurement
  • business confidence
  • the effect of the Government's performance on business decision making and consumer confidence
  • return to office timelines
  • director appetite for board positions.

If you have already completed the Director Sentiment Monitor survey, thank you. If you would like to complete the survey, please click on the button below.
Director Factsheet: Code of Practice on Determining Employment Status 
McCann FitzGerald LLP Factsheet
December 2021


Our latest Director Factsheet, from McCann FitzGerald LLP, addresses the recently published and updated Code of Practice on Determining Employment Status (the “Code”), the third version since 2001.

Where a company engages workers, it is necessary for directors to ensure that those working in the company are properly classified in terms of employment status (so that the company can comply with relevant employment law where appropriate) and that related tax and social security treatment is correct. Significant civil and criminal consequences can arise for companies and directors in respect of those matters so the issue is of particular importance where a company sues contractors.

Our sincere thanks to McCann FitzGerald LLP for their ongoing assistance in producing the IoD Factsheets.

Please note: To read this members’ only content, you must be logged into the members' area of our website. For more Director Factsheets, please visit our website.
IoD Essentials Workshop Series | Great Strategy in Uncertain Times
This online workshop on ‘Great Strategy in Uncertain Times' will be led by Professor Simon Haslam, Chartered Director, and Director, FMR Research Ltd., on Monday, 13th December 2021, from 09:30-12:30. This workshop is part of the IoD Essentials Workshop Series. 

The workshop will provide participants with: an appreciation of the limits of classic strategy models and how today’s turbulent times have changed strategy; an understanding of the main reasons why strategic decisions can go wrong; insights into the psychology and biases at work in decision making and how to mitigate their effects; and an exploration of the ‘discovery led’ approach to strategic decision making.

Booking Details and Cost

The workshop costs €225 ex VAT for IoD members, and €275 ex VAT for non-members.

For more information about the workshop, including the overview, trainer, booking details, dates, and CPD, click on the button below.
 IoD Webcast Recording: Challenges for Organisations and Leaders as the Pandemic Persists: Lessons from Behavioural Science
In this IoD Briefings Webinar recorded on Thursday, 2nd December 2021, Professor Pete Lunn, Founder and Head of the Behavioural Research Unit (BRU), ESRI, presented his session titled, 'Challenges for Organisations and Leaders as the Pandemic Persists: Lessons from Behavioural Science'.

Professor Lunn's talk outlined the latest evidence on how the general public in Ireland and, in particular, workers are responding to the ongoing pandemic. This evidence raises challenges and opportunities for organisations and leaders to adapt to our changed circumstances.

In this webinar, Professor Lunn also addressed:

  • how people are coping
  • how much people want to return to life as it was
  • what people wish to change, including our preferred working patterns,
  • and how strongly our perspectives differ between different types of people. 

This webinar is part of our IoD Briefings Series and is sponsored by Accenture.

Please note: To view this members' only content, you must be logged into the members' area of our website. 
Welcome to Some of Our New Members
A warm welcome to some of our newest members:

  • Garvan Callan, Founder, ONEZERO1
  • Grainne Dooley, INED/Partner, Topriver Partners
  • Tadhg O'Halloran, Group Head of Human Resources, Lakeland Dairies Co-operative Society Limited
  • Gerard Kirwan, Managing Director, Kemmlit Ireland
  • James Muldowney, Director, North Shore Advisors
  • Matthew Skelton, Director, Conflux Europe Limited
  • Jackie Kelly, Trade & Marketing Director, McCauley Pharmacies 
  • Sean Cahill, Managing Director, Blackwater Asset Management
  • Dr. Colin Hughes, Head of the Graduate Business School at TU Dublin 
  • Claudio Marturano, Chairperson & CEO, T-C-Alliance.
ESG Leadership Survey Results
An IoD Ireland Survey in Partnership with the Diligent Institute
The Institute of Directors (IoD) in Ireland, in partnership with the Diligent Institute, recently published a new report tiled, 'ESG Strategy, Leadership, and Integration in Irish Companies'. We conducted this research to further understand how companies and their directors/leadership address the key area of environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters. 

This report reveals a significant increase in the discussion of environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters in Irish boardrooms since the onset of the pandemic. The research also reveals a hesitancy towards tying ESG metrics to directors’ remuneration, amongst other findings.

Thank you to all IoD members participated in this survey.
IoD Essentials Workshop Series
Spring Season 2022 Launched 
We are delighted to announce our new IoD Essentials Workshop Series for Spring 2022. This series will be delivered by expert trainers and covers a wide breadth of key topics, including the role of the director and company secretary, governance, strategy, finance, chairing a board, and getting yourself board ready.

Designed specifically for directors and business leaders, the series will be a combination of in-class workshops in the Irish Management Institute (IMI), and online workshops. 

Booking Details and Cost

  • The full day in-class workshops cost €425 ex VAT for IoD members, and €485 ex VAT for non-members.
  • The half day online workshops cost €225 ex VAT for IoD members, and €275 ex VAT for non-members.  

For more information about the workshops, including the overview, trainer, booking details, dates, and CPD, click on the individual listings below.

Trainer: Caroline Kirrane, CFA Charterholder  
Date: 15th February 2022.
Format: Full Day, In-class Workshop.

Trainer: John Smyth, Chartered Director
Date: 17th February 2022
Format: Full Day, In-class Workshop

Trainer: Marie Collins, Chartered Director 
Date: 9th March 2022
Format: Half Day, Online Workshop

Trainer: Professor Simon Haslam, Chartered Director 
Date: 15th March 2022
Format: Half Day, Online Workshop

Trainer: John Smyth, Chartered Director
Date: 28th April 2022 
Format: Half Day, Online Workshop

Trainer: John Smyth, Chartered Director 
Date: 12th May 2022
Format: Half Day, Online Workshop

Trainer: Carol Bolger, Chartered Director
Date: 18th May 2021
Format: Half Day, Online Workshop
The IoD Blog | The ‘Business’ of Dog Welfare
For our December blog, Becky Bristow, Executive Director of Dogs Trust Ireland, offers her expert insights into the crucial link between the COVID-19 pandemic and the welfare of dogs as more have been adopted to happy homes but others are the victims of illegal puppy farming and trading.

Becky writes that Dogs Trust "opened the doors of our purpose-built rehoming centre in Finglas, Dublin, in 2009. Since then, we have rehomed over 20,000 dogs and now employ 80 members of staff along with a fantastic team of volunteers."

Becky adds, "The onset of the pandemic was a true test of survival time for us, and the words ‘global pandemic’, certainly weren’t in our risk register! Sending our ‘office’ staff home to work was the easier part for us. The tougher call was how to continue operations effectively and safely in our rehoming centre. The ‘dog’ team chose to stay at work and be on our front line." 

Previous blogs are available on our website. If you are interested in contributing to our blog or for further information, please contact Paul O'Mahony at pomahony@iodireland.ie or call +353 1 411 0010.
 IoD Webcast Recording: Leading Through a Pandemic and the Lessons Learned 
In this Lunch Bites @ the IoD webinar recorded on Thursday, 14th October, Paul Reid, Chief Executive Officer, Health Service Executive (HSE), presented his webinar titled 'Leading Through a Pandemic and the Lessons Learned'.

In this webinar, Paul discussed the challenges and strategies involved in tackling a global pandemic. He also provided insights and examples of his own past experiences in crisis management as a business leader.

This webinar is part of our Lunch Bites @ the IoD Series and is sponsored by IQ-EQ.

Please note: To view this members' only content, you must be logged into the members' area of our website. 
Meet a Member
Claudio Marturano is Chairperson and CEO of the T-C-Alliance, a one-stop shop for aviation training and consultancy. He started the organisation during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to mitigate the risks of being a ‘small’ organisation. Claudio created a collaborative business model and there are now over 40 organisations that work together under the unique quality management system of the T-C-Alliance, thereby increasing its scope and decreasing risk.

What is the most important lesson, from your personal or business life, that has guided you the most in being a business leader? 
For me, the most important lesson that has guided me is taking care of your wellbeing. When you go on an aircraft, the cabin crew say put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. In business, as the leader, if you are not 100%, then how can you help your organisation and staff. 

What, in your opinion, makes a great leader? 
Quite simply (in my opinion), what makes a great leader is the ability to learn and grow. Nobody is perfect. No organisation is perfect. Profitability doesn’t mean great. Loss doesn’t mean failure. Leadership is highly complicated and something that constantly has to be worked on and evolved.
 IoD Webcast Recording: What Business Leaders and Directors Need to Know to Prepare for a Low-Carbon Future
In this IoD Briefings Webinar recorded on Tuesday, 23rd November 2021, Karen O'Regan, Managing Director, Accenture Strategy, and Juan Aguiriano, Group Head Sustainability and Technology Ventures, Global Executive Team, Kerry Group, presented their session titled, 'What Business Leaders and Directors Need to Know to Prepare for a Low-Carbon Future'.

In this webinar, Karen presented new findings from the world’s largest sustainability study conducted to date by the United Nations Global Compact and Accenture, which found that 71% of CEOs say they are actively working to develop a net-zero emissions target for their company, however only 2% of these companies have a formal target that has been scientifically validated. Juan also discussed the Kerry Group’s Beyond the Horizon strategy and how it is driving Kerry’s ambition to reach over two billion people with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030.

This webinar is part of our IoD Briefings Series and is sponsored by Accenture.

Please note: To view this members' only content, you must be logged into the members' area of our website. 
Deliver Results for Your Board: IoD Ireland Board Evaluation Service
Dr Margaret Cullen, a Board Evaluation Assessor with the Institute of Directors (IoD) in Ireland, recently contributed an insightful article to the Irish Independent newspaper, titled 'Directors’ Behaviours Are Often the Root Cause of Corporate Board Failings'. The article addresses the importance of independent board evaluations for corporate governance best practice.

An IoD Ireland Board Evaluation will allow your organisation to learn how effectively your board is executing its roles and responsibilities.

Through the lens of best practice governance standards and your organisation’s business context, IoD Ireland's experienced Board Assessors examine how effectively your board and board committees are operating.
 
The service is efficient, robust, and completely confidential. It has an average completion term of just six weeks. Furthermore, the entire process can be undertaken virtually.

Our team of Board Assessors include Chartered Directors and/or governance specialists - Dr Margaret Cullen, Carol Bolger CDir, Marie Collins CDir and Clare Duignan. Our Assessors have worked across sectors as diverse as telecoms, financial services, hospitality, property, healthcare, communications, construction, energy, and education.
 IoD Webcast Recording: Insights and Advice from the Boardroom
In this IoD Briefings Webinar recorded on Thursday, 4th November 2021, Dr Margaret Cullen, Founder and Principal, Think Governance, and Maurice Pratt, Chairperson, Uniphar plc, presented their session titled, 'Insights and Advice from the Boardroom'.

In this webinar, Margaret and Maurice discussed the following key elements: their experience of building a non-executive portfolio; how to prepare yourself for non-executive positions and what to consider before joining a board; how to evaluate yourself as a non-executive director; how to do your due diligence before you join a board; and what a chair considers when recruiting a non-executive director.

This webinar is part of our IoD Briefings Series and is sponsored by Accenture.

Please note: To view this members' only content, you must be logged into the members' area of our website. 
IoD and Members in the News
Business Post: Why every board must have a succession plan (by Maura Quinn)
The Echo (Cork): Pandemic pushes ESG up agenda in Irish boardrooms (print edition only)
Marketing.ie: 20 Questions with Paul Holmes, Ponder.ie (print edition only)
Policy and Announcements Hub
Further Recovery in Employment in the Third Quarter of this Year
Labour Force Survey (LFS) data recently published by the Central Statistics Office show a continued recovery from the pandemic in Ireland’s labour market, with 221,300 jobs created in the year to Q3 2021. Employment now stands at 2.47 million, almost a 10 percent increase on the same quarter in 2020.

Expert Group on Future Skills Needs: Report
The Government has launched a new report by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) – ‘Skills for Zero Carbon – The Demand for Renewable Energy, Residential Retrofit and Electric Vehicle Deployment Skills to 2030’. The report was developed in the context of "the need to urgently accelerate the transition to a Zero Carbon Economy, as reflected in the binding targets for emissions reduction over the next decade, and ultimately, carbon neutrality by 2050."

Enterprise Ireland: Developing Gender Balanced Leadership Teams
Enterprise Ireland has launched the Level Project Toolkit aimed at helping businesses develop gender balanced leadership teams.

National Risk Assessment 2021/2022
The Government has today published the National Risk Assessment 2021/2022 – Overview of Strategic Risks, setting out the most significant geopolitical, economic, social, environmental and technological risks facing the country.
On the Bright Side…
Positive News in Business
While there may be many negative business stories in the news recently, there are also plenty of positive ones. Here are just a few stories we have selected:
IoD Member Benefit: The Business Post Digital Subscription
Exclusive subscription rate for IoD Ireland members...

What is the IoD Ireland Member Benefit?
IoD members can subscribe to the digital edition of Business Post for €90 + VAT (9%) for 12 months. This is reduced from the current special offer of €149 for 12 months.

Each digital subscription will include:

  • Full access to the Business Post website with daily news updates
  • Access to the Business Post e-reader 
  • Access to daily newsletters from Monday-Sunday 
  • Access to the archive 
  • Access is also available on three different devices.

Benefit Availability
This offer is open for a limited period to IoD members until 31st December 2021. 
Get the Most Out of Your Membership
with the IoD Ireland Website
Make the most of your membership and explore the IoD Ireland website for exclusive content, offers, as well as booking webinars and workshops, and easily access your membership information. 

If you have not yet created your new login details, please follow the below steps to get the most out of your IoD Ireland membership:

Step one: browse to this IoD Ireland website page and on the left hand side of the screen in the 'Returning Members' section please press the 'Password Reset' button. Please then enter your email address to reset your password.

Step two: you will receive a ‘Password Set Request’ email. Please click on the link in this email to create your password and login to access the exclusive members’ area of the IoD Ireland website. (If you do not receive this email, please check your spam/junk email.)

If you have any queries or issues regarding the above, please contact the IoD Comms team.
Connect with the IoD
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