• Norway's sovereign wealth fund flags board gender diversity as an engagement priority
• Study compares the composition of S&P midcap 400 boards and S&P 500 boards
• Shareholder sues US company over lack of board diversity
• In Brief | Providing families up to 12 months paid parental leave at full pay (equally shared) would lead to an increase of $116bn in GDP by 2050 as a result of higher female workforce participation and productivity according to a new report from lobby group the Parent hood
  
   

• Draft prudential standard CPS 511 Remuneration: The Governance Institute's submission welcomes APRA's less prescriptive approach, but recommends a number of further changes
• Accountability: Mining executives to forgo incentive payments for the current financial year, three resign

• The 'say on climate' initiative continues to gain traction
• Successful engagement: ACCR withdraws plans to push forward with a COVID-19 'worker rights' shareholder resolution
  
   

• Top Story | Key trends to emerge from the 2020 AGM season
• What to expect from the US 2021 proxy voting season: Conference board highlights four trends to watch 

• Progress update: Financial Sector Reform (Hayne Royal Commission Response No 2) Bill 2020
• APRA Deputy Chair Helen Rowell calls on funds to focus on lifting board capability
• Calls for the government to 'recommit' to increasing the superannuation guarantee continue to mount
• Insurance brokers code of practice: discussion paper and preliminary draft changes released for consultation
• Banning school banking programs: Choice has welcomed the ACT's commitment  to phase out the programs and has called on other states/territories to follow suit
• In Brief | FFNS bill tops $1.2bn: As at 31 December 2020, six of Australia's largest financial institutions have paid/offered a total of $1.24 billion in compensation to customers in connection with either fee no service conduct or provision of non-compliant advice
  
   

Cybersecurity, Technology and Privacy

• WEF calls on business to continue to take a leadership role in cybersecurity heading into 2021
• In Brief | Cybersecurity to rise up the list of board priorities: Gartner predicts that 40% of all boards will have a dedicated cybersecurity committee by 2025 in
• light organisations' increasing vulnerability to attack and in light of boards' increasing focus on the issue
• In Brief | Evaluating responsible corporate behaviour:  ISS considers that disclosure of cyber risk metrics and ESG metrics (including climate disclosure) provide investors with valuable insights into corporate behaviour within an organisation

ESG

• Paving the way for a new EU law requiring companies to comply with human rights and environmental standards within their value chains
• APPEA supports net zero by 2050 target: Revised policy principles released

• Treasury seeks feedback on permanently raising the statutory demand threshold

• Commonwealth Integrity Commission: The Governance Institute has welcomed moves to establish a national anti-corruption body as 'long overdue' but has raised concerns about the proposed approach
• Treasury is consulting on proposed changes to the governance standards for registered charities
• Status update: Bill to introduce a mandatory news media and digital platforms bargaining code