Caroline Spillane CDir | Wednesday, 7 August 2024

Dear Anne,

I hope you're having a good summer. I'm pleased to share our August ezine with you.

Our latest research on director perceptions of DE&I shows positive impacts on company culture, talent attraction and retention, and external reputation for organisations with DE&I programmes. Thanks to all members who contributed to this research. Find out more below.

To help foster a more diverse business landscape, the IoD Ireland Council is proud to launch a new Bursary in memory of Gary Kennedy, former IoD Council member and a long-standing IoD member until he sadly passed away early last year. He was a champion of inclusivity believing that, as in all areas of society, equity and fairness in business is vital. The Bursary will offer a fully funded place on the IoD Chartered Director Programme and a year's complimentary membership to one candidate. Learn more below.

This issue also includes a thought leadership article on Artificial Intelligence, a director factsheet on employee protection and receivership, our latest member profile, and more. Last but not least, congratulations to all those who passed their recent exams on the Chartered Director Programme. Well done on this achievement!

Thank you for your continued engagement as an IoD member.

Caroline Spillane CDir

Chief Executive Officer

Institute of Directors Ireland 

(L to R: Caroline Spillane CDir, Chief Executive Officer, IoD Ireland; Daire Kennedy (Gary Kennedy's son); and John Reynolds CDir, President, IoD Ireland.)

Gary Kennedy Chartered Director Programme Bursary

The new IoD Ireland bursary in Gary Kennedy's memory is aimed at promoting diversity, equality and inclusivity. Gary was a long-standing member of IoD Ireland and was an IoD Ireland council member in 2019. The bursary will offer one candidate the opportunity to receive a fully-funded place on the IoD Chartered Director Programme and a year's complimentary membership. We are delighted to work with Charities Institute Ireland, The Irish Centre for Diversity and Generation Ireland as part of this initiative.

IoD EVENTS

IoD LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT: DESIGNED FOR DIRECTORS

Directors rate positive impact of DE&I on their organisation

Our recent research found that after implementing a DE&I policy, directors reported positive impacts on company culture, talent attraction and retention, and external reputation.

Caroline Spillane CDir, Chief Executive Officer, IoD Ireland, discussed the new research on Newstalk's Breakfast Business with Joe Lynam. In the interview, Caroline highlighted how directors recognise the value of DE&I and aim to implement it in the most impactful way for their organisations.

Artificial Intelligence: The days of siloed AI are (or should be) over

Thought leadership article

Most businesses have Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategies that are narrowly focused on assisting business processes. However, AI is shifting from assisting to action. Read this thought leadership article by Austin Boyle, Managing Director and Head of Technology, Accenture in Ireland on the future of AI agent ecosystems for his expert insights.

Restructuring update: Increased protection for employees and a renewed focus on receivership

Director Factsheet

The recently signed Employment (Collective Redundancies and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 and Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024 make significant changes to the restructuring and insolvency regime. Read this Director Factsheet to learn more about your responsibilities as a director.

Corporate Sustainability Reporting Regulations: Update

Minister Burke and Minister Calleary recently announced new legislation that will incorporate new corporate sustainability reporting rules with the accounting and audit framework in Ireland. The EU (Corporate Sustainability Reporting) Regulations 2024 was signed into law on 5th July 2024.

Governance Digest: Podcast

The fourth episode of the Governance Digest podcast hosted by John Smyth CDir featured Dr David Doyle, a leading expert on EU Financial Services Regulation specialising in regulatory developments in banking and insurance.

Welcome to new members who joined in recent weeks

Whether you’re here for inspiration, knowledge, or to belong to a valued network and spark new connections, we’re delighted to have you as part of our IoD Ireland community.

Congratulations to our newly Chartered Directors

Congratulations to our latest Chartered Directors who have passed their final professional review process and eligibility assessment and have become qualified CDirs.