ja-JP
ログイン
Back to Global Corporate Governance Trends for 2025
Operating in a more complex and uncertain geopolitical context
Boards are contending with increasingly complex challenges, requiring a clear-eyed strategy and people vision. Belgian board members expect global and regional geopolitical instability to continue creating unpredictable challenges, which will necessitate their deeper involvement when preparing for future “worst-case” scenarios. Experts predict that, throughout 2025, the volatile business environment will increasingly focus on risk management—not only financial, but also reputational risk. Boards will be expected to be agile, well-versed in megatrends and geopolitical insights, and capable of utilizing scenario thinking and planning as regular tools in risk management and strategy revision.
More proactive attention on succession planning
By adopting a succession planning framework, boards are seeking greater visibility into the talent pipeline and urging a more proactive approach from management. However, with CEOs tending to ever-complicating day-to-day issues, they have less time to spend on succession planning. Boards are filling that gap—not only in CEO succession, but also in broader C-level succession. Board members of Belgian family-owned businesses are also expressing a stronger desire to address family succession planning earlier, in order to prevent family matters from influencing the board agenda. Experts anticipate this push will amount to a more proactive, early, and structured approach to succession.
ESG continues with less enthusiasm
ESG is now truly embedded into boardroom agendas. However, there is now a countering desire to find a better balance between regulatory compliance efforts and genuinely addressing which actions are having the most impact. Belgian board members are increasingly voicing their dissatisfaction with the highly-regulated European environment and regulations like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive’s (CSRD), “cumbersome processes” (which go beyond ESG). Despite these compliance burdens, boards remain steadfast and convinced of the importance of incorporating ESG frameworks into their strategic planning – and its payoff over the long-term.
Shifting focus to AI and cybersecurity
Technology, particularly AI and cybersecurity, is recognized as increasingly integral to business strategy and will continue to dominate board agendas in 2025. This mandate is translating into higher expectations for the board’s collective ability to stay updated with technological developments—both for their opportunities and imminent threats. It also requires companies to ensure that their underlying data is trustworthy and of good quality. In response, boards are continuing to enhance their understanding of generative AI and cybersecurity by leveraging both internal and external resources. However, concerns remain that there is a lack of in-depth AI knowledge in Belgium and, more broadly, Europe. Thinking through how to address this gap will be a primary issue for boards to contend with in the coming year.
Preparing for a revised 2020 Belgian Corporate Governance Code
Monitoring the 2020 Code is well-embedded in the corporate governance landscape. This year, we expect boards to prepare for an update to the Code that will address (among other things) the differing views on whether board members should be partly remunerated with shares. While experts are taking a wait-and-see approach, they advise boards to prepare for potential compensation adjustments.