2021 Governance Outlook: Projections on Emerging Board Matters

The 2021 Governance Outlook: Projections on Emerging Board Matters is NACD's fourth publication in this annual report series, providing corporate directors and senior executives with a forward-looking view of business and governance risks that will require board focus over the coming year.

The report includes insights and projections from four of NACD's partners—Baker Tilly, Broadridge, Deloitte, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges—on the following themes: strategic business risks, legal risks, data privacy, M&A oversight, and virtual shareholder engagement.

Boards can use this resource to assist them in taking the following steps: 

• Understand the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on virtual board meetings.

• Work with management to identify strategic business risks.

• Prepare for shareholders' continued focus on ESG risks and disclosures.

• Anticipate where they may be gaps in appropriate governance of data privacy within the corporation.

• Evaluate your board's practices around M&A oversight.

• Identify mission-critical risks that will require board oversight in the future.

Most relevant audiences: board chairs, CEOs, lead independent directors, committee chairs, strategy committees, nominating and governance committee members, audit committees, and risk committee members