An authoritative global framework for understanding and benchmarking risks related to a company's governance policies and practices. As each new corporate governance debacle dominates world headlines, demands for strengthened regulatory oversight increase in both frequency and volume. Still, the fact remains that the most effective corporate oversight begins in the corner offices and boardrooms of the corporations themselves."The Standard & Poor's Handbook of Governance & Risk" addresses all aspects of this vital issue. Combining the knowledge and expertise of Standard & Poor's with incisive commentary from leading international contributors, this all-in-one book provides stakeholders and decision-makers with: an analytical framework for examining and benchmarking governance standards in individual corporations; insights into the governance impact and importance of ownership structure, shareholder rights, stakeholder relations, transparency, and an effective board to both internal and external governance; and, bases for evaluating and comparing governance practices across companies, countries, and cultures. Capital markets require trust and integrity to function effectively, yet these two qualities more than any other are called into question with each new report of corporate malfeasance and greed."The Standard & Poor's Handbook of Governance & Risk" provides a framework for investors and other stakeholders to help assess the extent to which they should give global corporations their trust - and their money. 'The corporate governance debate continues to grow in prominence, as the combination of corrupt governance practices in certain cases, and merely substandard governance in less extreme situations, is taking its toll. This book is an analytical handbook for investors, stakeholders, and other analysts wishing to achieve a better practical understanding of key corporate governance issues in individual companies, (and) more effectively identify and manage governance related risks' - From the Preface.Effective corporate governance has long been viewed as essential for healthy capital markets. Careless and corrupt governance practices, however, have thrust the governance debate from the shadows to the forefront, and corporate governance can now be recognized as a stand-alone risk factor. Many market participants now question whether true self-governance is possible or even realistic in today's era of razor-thin profit margins and bloated executive paychecks. "The Standard & Poor's Handbook of Governance & Risk" provides a solid conceptual grounding on the principal themes of governance in today's global corporate arena.Straightforward and authoritative, with compelling insights into today's key micro (internal) and macro (external) corporate governance issues, this all-encompassing book: provides a wide-ranging discussion of methodologies and criteria relating to corporate governance analysis; brings together diverse country environments in a common analytical framework; seamlessly links up-to-date conceptual and theoretical thinking about governance to practical performance issues; and explores broader themes of governance -sustainable development, directors and officers insurance, behavioral aspects, and approaches to governance in managed funds and governments.Highly publicized collapses in governance have replaced calm and complacency with vigilance and even stridence, often obscuring valuable and necessary aspects of governance that are long-overdue for discussion and review. "The Standard & Poor's Handbook of Governance & Risk" presents a balanced and rational approach to one of today's most emotional topics, and outlines an analytical model for both evaluating the governance practices of individual corporations and protecting yourself or your organization from the effects of incomplete, inaccurate, and potentially misguiding practices.