ICDZ launches directorship programme

THE Institute of Corporate Directors Zimbabwe says it has launched an internationally recognised Professional Director Certification course which is supported by Governance Solutions Canada.

The programme for professionals will be running from July, and will see graduates attain the Pro Director status.

Corporate governance and leadership expert Newton Demba told an ICDZ leadership conference in Kariba last week that the programme would cover many key aspects of directorship.

These include governance and strategy, governance and risk, people, board effectiveness and resources.

“We are confident that it is pivotal in assisting you to not only match the current professional qualifications, but be fully equipped to tackle any future market challenges,” Demba said.

“As our motto goes: ‘Better corporate directors, better boards and better business’. As directors we have onerous responsibilities and in ICDZ we have a body responsible for nurturing your interests and supporting your development. All the programmes we offer seek to contribute towards success of directors and businesses and, indeed all other organisations,” Demba told delegates.

He noted that establishing the right tone at the top of organisations was essential in fortifying their reputations and relationships with all stakeholders.

Demba further pointed out that sub-optimal performance by directors besieged economies with corporate failures and this was more visible when corporate leaders neglected to prioritise the development of a culture of integrity.

Demba told the conference that the importance of good corporate governance cannot be overemphasised.

“It is against this background that the ICDZ came up with the Tone at the Top Leadership Convention. This is a platform where leaders can interact and offer tangible solutions on how best to align ethics and values to business strategies and operating plans for sustainable development,” he said.

The Kariba conference was held under the theme Innovate, Engage and Empower.

During the conference, captains of Zimbabwe’s industries also said companies must understand that the economic environment will take long to return to pre-pandemic levels, and they must re-image the way they do business.

The COVID -19 outbreak in 2020 radically transformed the workplace and changed the way companies work, and how consumers access goods and services.

The executives said some of COVID-19’s effects may become permanent leading to the disappearance of some occupations.

Speaking at the conference, business leaders indicated that it was now time for them to lead the adjustments of organisational structures, post COVID.

Presenting a paper titled Recovery and Re-imagination: The Future of Work, National Blood Service Zimbabwe chief executive officer Lucy Marowa said while organisations promoted virtual work models and virtual collaboration with global virtual teams, they had not simultaneously redesigned the physical and digital workplace, organisational structures and leadership capabilities required to optimise individual and team potential in a flexible work environment. “The bottom line is that things cannot go back to factory settings, back to pre-2020,” Marowa said.

“COVID-19 came with it. The change to a flexible work environment was so rapid that organisations did not work out how to connect workers to the organisation, to its purpose and to human relationships. We have focused on the digital experience but underestimated various factors that build a compelling workforce experience such as a sense of belonging and length of average working day,” she added.-newsday