TABLE 3 Classification of codes’ recommendations on board of directors
Description Definition
Separation of Chairman and
CEO
Strong: separation between Chairman and CEO, in case of CEO duality appointment
of a lead independent director or public disclosure of the reasons behind the choice
Semi-strong: separation between Chairman’s and CEO’s roles
Weak: not objective and quantitative rigid rules but only general recommendations
about the relationship between Chairman and CEO
Board composition and
independence
Strong: the majority of board members should be independent non-executive
directors
Semi-strong: less than half, but at least one-third of board members should be
independent non-executive directors
Weak: less than one-third of board members should be non-executive directors and
not all of them should be independent; not objective and quantitative rigid rules
but only general recommendations
Evaluating board performance Strong: self evaluation at least once a year
Semi-strong: self evaluation less than once a year
Weak: not objective and quantitative rigid rules, but only general recommendations
Remuneration committee Strong: all members should be independent non-executive directors
Semi-strong: all members should be non-executive directors, and the majority of
them should be independent
Weak: less than the majority of its members should be independent; not objective and
quantitative rigid rules (i.e. the board should establish a remuneration committee)
Nomination committee Strong: all members should be non-executive directors, and at least the majority of
them should be independent
Semi-strong: less than the majority of its members should be independent
non-executive directors, and separation between the chairman of the committee
and the chairman of the board
Weak: not independence recommendations, not objective and quantitative rigid rules
but only general recommendations (i.e. the board should establish a nomination
committee)
Audit committee Strong: at least the majority of members and the chairman should be independent
non-executive directors
Semi-strong: all members should be non-executive directors, and the majority of
them should be independent
Weak: less than the majority of its members should be independent non-executive
directors, not objective and quantitative rigid rules but only general
recommendations (i.e. the board should establish an audit committee)