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Centre Public Governance

The GUBERNA Centre Public Governance promotes good governance in state owned enterprises.  With a strong belief that creating awareness and promoting good public governance is a ‘must’, the GUBERNA Centre Public Governance encourages an open debate on public governance. 

We do this trough academic and field research and by organizing expert groups, round tables and events. We are able to do this thanks to the support of our partner Deloitte. 

Quick overview

For whom? >

Different ways to engage with us >

Publications >

Activities >

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Public

For whom?

The GUBERNA Centre Public Governance is aimed at all state owned enterprises in the large sense of the word. This means all business enterprises where the government or state has significant control through full, majority, or significant minority ownership with the pursuit of public policy objectives. 

Go to publications 

Different ways to engage with us

The Centre Public Governance of GUBERNA has developed extensive expertise in public governance. As a result, we have become known as a reference and as a high-quality partner for topics related to public governance. We offer board evaluations, in-company trainings, remuneration benchmarks, reviews of governance documents, and support state owned enterprises in their board composition. We also respond to specific requests. 

Activities

The Centre Public Governance understands the need for networking and exchange information among state owned enterprises. Accordingly the Centre Public Governance also fosters community building on a national level. Through our Yearly Event Public Governance, services, expert groups, and other activities we promote exchange between peers. 

  • Board

    Remuneration Benchmark Board Members

    GUBERNA supports companies to develop an adequate remuneration policy policy for their non-executive board members.
    Work has value! That is why the codes advise good governance organisations to compensate their non-executive board members. However, determining the right compensation is not one-size fits all.

  • Board mandates

    As part of our mission, we are happy to support you in this challenging quest. GUBERNA distributes your candidacy free of charge within our member network. With more than 3,000 governance actors (directors, shareholders, entrepreneurs and decision makers) the visibility of your vacancy will increase significantly!

  • Board

    I am available for a board mandate

    Do you possess the required experience, knowledge and drive to assist companies on their growth path? Are you excited to take the next step in your career or would you love to share your on-the-job experience?

Frieda Brepoels
GUBERNA was the first to translate the principles of corporate governance to the public sector and today still has a unique and diverse expertise in this field. It is an important knowledge centre offering not only a range of accessible publications, but also a number of useful practical tools and checklists
Frieda Brepoels
Chair , VRT

Highlighted publications

The Centre Public Governance of GUBERNA studied someconducted research on important public governance topics over the years. They can be summarized as follows: 

  • The role of the state as shareholder and its relationship to the board of directors, management and other stakeholders 

  • The role of the board and of board members in state owned enterprises 

  • The composition and functioning of the board of directors, taking into account the specifics of the political context  

The publications of the Centre Public Governance on these topics can be found below. The are listed in chronological order.   

  • Memorandum public governance 2024

    In the run-up to the 2024 elections, the Centre for Public Governance wants to feed the debate once again in the form of a new memorandum and provide food for thought for the various political parties.

    GUBERNA therefore took the initiative to work with a group of experts to reflect on the components of a new memorandum that should respond to today's challenges.

    Read more

  • Corporate Governance in the Public Sector. Why and How?

    You can consult this publication at the GUBERNA Home of Governance in Brussels.

    Read more

  • Public Enterprises Today: Missions, Performance and Governance

    Over thirty years, privatization of public enterprises was in the air. Before and during this period of neo-liberalism, and since the 2008 crisis, public enterprises were nonetheless created: they did what they were set up for and they frequently managed to get interesting results, as much on their public mission as regarding profitability. How is this possible? This book looks at public enterprises with new eyes.

    Read more

Publications for Public Governance organisations

Cyber-Risk Oversight

The ISA’s cyber-risk handbooks are an attempt to provide Board members with a simple and coherent framework to understand cyber risk, as well as a series of straight-forward questions for Boards to ask management to assure that their organisation is properly addressing its unique cyber-risk posture.

Read more

Urgenda: how urgently should climate change be put on the agenda of the board?

On our first digital member forum onthe 21st of April we will reflect upon the impact of the Urgenda legal case on the accountability of companies. But what/who is Urgenda? Why is a court ruling on climate change against the Dutch government significant for Belgian companies? Which lessons can a board of directors take away from this case? And what will be the impact of the current COVID-19 crisis on the climate debate?

Read more

"Male, pale & stale” is dead, long live diversity!

The 'glass ceiling' is familiar to us all, as are the quota laws, because they are supposed to bring solace. For GUBERNA, however, this is not the focus. We are indeed a great advocate of more women in managerial positions and especially on boards of directors. It is not for nothing that we have been addressing this topic in our operations for a long time. The successful mentoring programme is one example of this. But gender is only one piece of the puzzle. 'Diversity' is the greater goal for GUBERNA.

Read more

Intercommunities and the Local Government Decree: a step in the right direction

Vorig jaar deze tijd bevonden de intercommunales zich in het oog van de storm. Zeer grote raden van bestuur, een ondoorzichtige kluwen aan participaties en enkele schandalen rond vergoeding zorgden voor een hevig debat. Biedt het nieuwe Decreet Lokaal Bestuur een antwoord op dit debat? Dat zal de toekomst moeten uitwijzen, maar het staat vast dat het Decreet de intercommunales uitdaagt op vlak van ‘goed bestuur’. GUBERNA licht er enkele uitdagingen uit.

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Partners

  • Deloitte

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