As the global sustainability agenda gains further traction, the governance role – and most specifically the role of the board – has become even more critical. Gone are the days of governance being merely about compliance and financial stewardship; governance is now expected to respond to rapidly shifting environmental, social and ethical mandates that shape the long-term sustainability of organisations.

From climate risk and artificial intelligence to ethical culture, stakeholder engagement and ESG reporting, boards and governance structures are being called on to provide not only accountability, but meaningful guidance and oversight. The convergence of regulatory reform, shareholder activism and social expectations is elevating the benchmark for what represents good governance—and South Africa is set to lead the shift.

Through mechanisms like King IV™ and the recently released King V draft, our governance landscape continues to evolve. Meanwhile, practical insights from the 2024 Social and Ethics Committee Trends Survey, issued by the IoDSA in partnership with The Ethics Institute, offers a glimpse into how governance structures are responding on the ground.

It is therefore imperative that we explore how the governance eco-system—and boards in particular—can meaningfully contribute to a sustainable future by aligning strategy, stewardship and sustainability into a cohesive whole.

Embedding Sustainability in Governance: From King IV to King V

King IV™ laid a pivotal foundation by positioning an organisation’s ability to create value as inseparable from its impact on society, the economy and the environment. It emphasised key concepts such as integrated thinking, stakeholder inclusivity and sustainable value creation—not as peripheral concerns, but as fundamental governance responsibilities.

The draft King V Report, released for public comment in 2025 builds on this foundation. It similarly emphasises the role of the governing body in providing leadership that is ethical, sustainable and focused on long-term value creation. It further reinforces the principle that boards should adopt a stakeholder-inclusive approach—considering the legitimate interests and expectations of material stakeholders—effectively serving in the best long-term interests of the organisation.

It recognises that value is created not only through financial returns, but also through responsible corporate citizenship and ethical outcomes. Boards are also encouraged to have a forward-looking approach, aligning strategy with societal contribution; and performance with purpose.

The Global Rise of Sustainability Reporting

In parallel with these advances in local governance best practice, there have been big strides in sustainability reporting requirements globally. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) issued IFRS S1 and S2 in mid-2023 to establish a global standard for climate and more general sustainability-related disclosures.

•S1 provides overarching sustainability disclosure requirements, integrating material information that influences enterprise value.

•S2 is focused specifically on climate-related disclosures, such as governance, strategy, risk management; and metrics and targets.

South Africa had already anticipated this shift.

In 2022, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) released its Sustainability Disclosure Guidance laying the foundation for investor-relevant, transparent disclosure. As the JSE put it:

“The business case for sustainability is now broadly acknowledged. There is also increasing demand from investors, stakeholders, and regulators for disclosure on sustainability performance that is reliable, comparable, and decision-useful.”

The JSE’s Sustainability Disclosure Guidance encourages issuers to align with international frameworks and highlights the importance of board-level accountability for sustainability performance and disclosure. With global standards now more crystallised, it is imperative that boards ensure oversight of these reporting requirements—not just in form, but in substance too.

The Social and Ethics Committee: An Emerging Force

The 2024 SEC Trends Survey conducted by the IoDSA and The Ethics Institute indicates that Social and Ethics Committees (SECs) are becoming increasingly central to the governance of ethics and sustainability.

Encouragingly, 82% of SECs surveyed operate as stand-alone committees, and 64% have ESG monitoring and reporting functions. Interestingly, female representation has reached a milestone, with women making up 55% of SEC membership—the first time this figure has surpassed male representation in the survey’s history.

But the report also identifies significant areas for improvement:

•Limited focus on emerging risks: 48% of SECs indicate that they never include artificial intelligence (AI) on the agenda and only half are engaging with the risk of climate change.

•Resource constraints: SECs continue to have capacity and budget limitations that restrict them from monitoring ESG and ethics effectively.

•Whistleblowing oversight questionable: Only 48% of SECs receive whistleblowing reports alongside CEOs, and 12% of organisations do not even have a whistleblower hotline.

These insights underscore the growing—but not yet fully realised—potential of SECs. With appropriate support, clearer mandates and deeper integration into board processes, these committees can become powerful catalysts for sustainable and ethical business practices.

Governance and the Investor Viewpoint: The Rise of Stewardship

As sustainability gains prominence in investment decision-making, boards are also being called upon to engage with responsible investing and stewardship practices.

In South Africa, this is reinforced by:

• Regulation 28 of the Pension Funds Act, which now explicitly requires consideration of ESG factors.
• CRISA 2 (2022), which reaffirms the principle of active ownership, expecting institutional investors to influence ESG outcomes across their investment value chains.

Responsible investment is not just a concern to asset owners. It requires disclosure, transparency and governance readiness from the companies they invest in. Boards need to make sure that their sustainability strategy is well-defined, metrics are strong and integrated reporting presents a strong, credible narrative.

The upcoming CIPC Sustainability Reporting Market Sentiment Survey to be published by Alexander Forbes is expected to shed more light on the degree to which corporate ESG disclosure is comprehended by the market, and where improvement is needed.

Where to From Here? Governance Readiness

To truly excel at sustainability governance, organisations need to position themselves for today’s demands as well as tomorrow’s challenges. Based on current trends and research, some priorities are evident:

1. Extend SEC Mandates Thoughtfully – SECs should be encouraged to incorporate ESG matters such as climate and human capital oversight into their terms of reference—ideally through clear board mandates and cross-committee collaboration.

2. Develop Capacity and Capability – Capacity building and training should be a priority. 67% of SECs still suffer from capacity issues based on the SEC Trends Survey. Directors and committee members need support to engage meaningfully with new risks and evolving standards.

3. Improve Integration and Assurance – As ESG becomes part of regulated reporting, governance systems would be required to offer quality, consistency and internal assurance mechanisms. This includes aligning frameworks and standards as well as ensuring that sustainability data received similar scrutiny as financial data.

4. Embrace Stakeholder Inclusivity – King IV’s emphasis on inclusive stakeholder governance remains relevant. Boards should take decisions with a holistic view – paying close attention to the interests of communities, employees, the environment and future generations—while ultimately acting in the best long-term interests of the organisation.

Governance as the Bridge Between Purpose and Performance

Sustainability is not a standalone function—it is an expression of an organisation’s strategy, risks and values. Governance, therefore, needs to be the connection that ties sustainability aspirations to concrete, quantifiable outcomes.

South Africa’s governance framework offers a strong basis to drive such integration. But frameworks alone are insufficient. It is the quality of leadership, the integrity of decision-making and the willingness to embrace impending risk that will determine if our organisations—and society—can thrive in an equitable, just and sustainable future.

Boards have a role to play. The time is now.