Design and implementation of a scheme for accreditation of company directors by the Hong Kong Institute of Directors in advancing corporate governance.

This report documents the design and implementation of a scheme for accreditation of members by The Hong Kong Institute of Directors (“HKIoD”), Hong Kong’s premier body of company directors. HKIoD’s mission is to promote good corporate governance and to contribute towards advancing the status of Hong Kong. Its membership of 1,000+ directors
from listed, private and non-profit-distributing companies represents a cross-section of the community at large.
Good corporate governance is crucial for the progresses of companies, the economies and the world. While many parties are involved in corporate governance, directors bear the ultimate responsibility and determine the integrity and prosperity of their companies. It is vital that directors continually upgrade their knowledge and practice in fulfilling such duties in a dynamic world.
Demonstration of continuing professional development (“CPD”) is mandatory for the recognized professions. Unlike recognized professionals, directors are not licensed. However, they should uphold professionalism and pursue CPD. Through instigating accreditation of members by requiring them to fulfill CPD on an annual basis, HKIoD
embarked on this project as a pioneering private-sector initiative in Hong Kong and a new approach to membership accreditation as compared to major institutes of directors elsewhere.
The project has engaged action research over a long period of 46 months to motivate and mobilize collective action for improvement by members in introducing change in knowledge, attitude, belief and practice. It has gone through various phases of intervention: definition, design, implementation, monitoring and strengthening and finally evaluation. The project results are deemed successful in output, outcome and impact, measured respectively in terms of scale of operations, satisfaction to owners and perceptions of influence by owners, stakeholders and others. A breakthrough for HKIoD, its members and the community, the project has established an implementation model, generated values to many and achieved significant learning outcome for the researcher.