OECD Guidelines on Corporate Governance of State Owned Enterprises

1. OECD Guidelines on Corporate Governance of State Owned Enterprises Lars Johan Cederlund Senior advisor Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications, Sweden Chairman OECD Working Group on Privatisation and Corporate Governance of State Owned Assets

2. The Guidelines and the role of SOEs • Direct application in commercial SOEs • Focus on federal or state-owned SOEs • Comparative report gives information • Comparative report allows benchmarking

3. Why Guidelines? • Need for an integrated Corporate Governance model, best practice collection • Contribution to growth from professional governance of SOE:s • Better balance between privatisation and governance was asked for by politicians

4. SOE employees as percentage of total employment in OECD countries

5. Turnover/GDP and value added/GDP for SOEs in OECD countries (percent)

6. Percentage of market capitalisation in OECD countries

7. New Corporate Governance model • Complement to the OECD Principles of Corporate Governance which are developed for privately-owned companies • Non-binding guidelines, agreed by member states for their proper activities, best practice • The Guidelines is an integrated product, with individual Guidelines linked/connected to the others • Do not preclude/alter Privatisation policies

8. Priorities • Level-playing field with the private sector • Reinforcing the ownership function • No mixing of political and business decisions • Improving transparency • Empowering SOE boards

9. Chapter I, Legal and regulatory framework • Separate regulation and shareholding • Transparency on special obligations • Level-playing field in markets • Competitive conditions in access to finance

10. Chapter II The state as an Owner • Clear and disclosed ownership policy • No direct interference in day-to-day activities • Let boards carry out their responsibilities • Centralisation/coordination of the ownership function • Accountability secured • Effective exercise of ownership rights

11. Chapter III Other Shareholders • All shareholders should be treated equitably • High degree of transparency towards all shareholders • Facilitate participations in AGM for minority shareholders

12. Chapter IV Stakeholders • Rely on OECD Principles of Corporate Governance • Report on stakeholder relations • Develop, implement and communicate compliance with codes of ethics

13. Chapter V Transparency Basis for much of the other Guidelines • Disclosure at ownership level and at company level • Internal audit • Independent external audit • High quality standards for accounting and audit • Disclosure as listed companies • Disclosure of material information, including objectives, ownership and voting rights, financial assistance from the state transactions with related entities and risk factors

14. Chapter VI Boards Critical governance organ • Full responsibility • Able to appoint CEO • Act in the best interest of the company • Independent judgement • Good corporate governance standards • Systematic evaluation

15. Possible effects of the Guidelines • Basis for structured reform • Facilitate benchmarking • Awareness of important values on the state’s balance sheet • Better value-creation due to more effective corporate governance