GO lands prestigious World Finance corporate governance award

This year, GO was among the high-profile companies to clinch the World Finance Corporate Governance Award 2011. An interview with Chief Executive Officer David Kay featured in the March/April edition of the World Finance magazine (print version) while a video interview on the same lines was posted in the magazine’s online version.

The award puts GO on the same footing as otherwinners including high profile companies such as Pirelli (Italy), Group Danone (France), Nestlé SA (Switzerland), Volvo Group (Sweden) Telecom Egypt, Cisco Systems (USA), Samsung Electronics (South Korea).

Commenting on the recognition during the World Finance interview, GO CEO, David Kay, said: “It gives us satisfaction to have landed this award that underpins our ongoing endeavours to operate in a way that is in line with the Company’s statutory and legal obligations.”

“Good corporate governance has been – and will remain – a top priority for the company and we consider it to be a responsibility which starts with the Board of Directors and permeates down throughout the company. GO reports about Corporate Governance in its annual report sent out to our shareholders. We are proud of the fact that we have appropriate mechanisms and structures to ensure that there is an independent view of the governance in place,” he added.

World Finance stressed the importance of corporate governance – particularly in the context of the challenges being faced by companies during the recession - when announcing the awards: “The economic crisis revealed some shocking examples of poor governance among top level companies. Attempts to maximise shareholder value have ironically caused business collapse, as directors and executives prioritised the short-term, hid poor performance with easy positives and promoted high risk, low-value work.”

“The central tenets of corporate governance, the willingness to take the long-term view and demonstrate a strong emphasis on sound decision-making and effective risk management, have therefore proven key to business survival.”

Created in 2007, The World Finance Awards aim to identify industry leaders, individuals, teams and organisations in the global marketplace that represent the benchmark of achievement and best practice in the financial and business world.

World Finance Magazine - precisely where the awards are published - acknowledges companies whose excellent corporate governance, transparency in their ideals and actions as well as strong internal structures have ensured sustainable, ethical growth through tough times. The magazine boasts a readership of 120,000 key decision-makers world-wide.