MODERN GOVERNANCE FOR COMPANIES
Growth & progress:
The success of strong boards
FOR STRONG BOARDS
Increasing the value of the company sustainably, minimising liability risks and at the same time ensuring a trusting relationship between the boards? It can be done. With clear structures, efficient meetings and strategic excellence. For strong boards. Ahead of their time.
We have a wealth of practical experience. With diligence, precision and proven best practice, we can help you to gain the most important thing: time for wise decisions.
CHALLENGES
Complex. Time-consuming. Risky.
The reality in many boards.
Wasted time
Lengthy meetings without clear outcomes waste valuable time and block progress.
Lack of cooperation
Insufficient coordination and conflicts between boards make constructive cooperation more difficult.
Liability risks
Opaque decision-making processes and missing documentation increase the risk of legal consequences.
Strategy neglected
Operational details dominate, while strategic topics and long-term goals are neglected.
Insufficient digitalisation
Outdated tools and a lack of digitalisation slow down efficient processes and structures.
Increasing regulation
Growing regulatory requirements increase pressure and complicate practical implementation.
"As Chairman of the Supervisory Board, working with BIEDENBACH has given me a great deal of relief and, in a way, security. I can rely 100% on the fact that the work of the Supervisory Board is fully supported at the highest level and that all regulatory requirements are taken into account. Today, the high level of complexity can hardly be managed with internal resources, and certainly not to this level. The high level of expertise and neutral perspective are also of particular value for the work of the personnel and audit committees."
(Chairman of the Supervisory Boards of SAF-HOLLAND SE and GRAMMER AG)
“As head of TenneT's Board Office, I found BIEDENBACH to be the first company to combine a high level of expertise in corporate governance with an understanding of the operational and strategic aspects of board work. They have supported us in the further development of our structures in the Board Office and are a valuable sparring partner for modern governance.”
(Head of Board Office at TenneT)
"We restarted our board work completely from scratch. We now work efficiently and effectively, and as General Counsel I can rest assured that all these tasks are in good hands. The time saved and access to modern best practices are particularly noteworthy."
(Group General Counsel GRAMMER AG)
SERVICES
Our four-prong approach to excellence in modern board work
Strategic governance advisory
- Content-related management of board work (strategic agenda planning, preparation and follow-up of meetings, minute-taking, support for the chairperson, etc.)
- Holistic corporate governance advice
- Corporate governance reporting (supervisory board report, corporate governance statement, declaration of conformity, etc.)
- Drafting and revising rules of procedure and other corporate governance documents
Board Culture, Performance & Evaluation
- Self-assessments of supervisory and advisory boards and boards of directors
- Competency profile & qualification matrix
- Management assessments for the board and management
- Design and benchmarking of supervisory board compensation
- Composition and strategic development of boards
- Succession concepts for the board and upper management levels
Digital Governance & Future Readiness
- Support for strategy processes for the management and supervisory boards
- IPO and DCGK readiness checks & gap analyses
- Design and implementation of modern board office & corporate office set-ups
- Analysis of board work processes
- Selection and implementation of digital board management tools
- Creation of onboarding concepts
- Further training for the supervisory board
Reporting & Audit Advisory
- Evaluation of the quality of the audit
- Independent support with the tendering of the audit
- Redesign and optimisation of board reporting (financial, governance, risk & compliance reporting, etc.)
- Sparring partner for investor relations and capital market topics (requirements of proxy advisors, equity story, etc.)
Knowledge, skills and a proven track record: built up over decades.
With more than 250 prepared board meetings at listed companies, we set the standard in modern committee work.
With over 35 years of combined board experience, we shape governance in a precise and practical way.
50+ mandates are proof of our trust and expertise in governance consulting.
SPECIALISED SERVICES
Targeted expertise for special requirements
Operational implementation of board work
We provide comprehensive support for boards and take on the operational board work with experience, precision and the latest best practice. Whether as a long-term partner in the context of an external or hybrid board office – or as temporary support in the event of capacity bottlenecks: We ensure that structures are effective, processes run smoothly and boards are supported in their work. With a clear focus and unerring precision, we organise board work in a way that increases efficiency and enables excellence.
Corporate Office Setup
We design and establish structures that raise board work to a first-class level. From conception to implementation, we create future-proof set-ups for board offices and corporate offices – with clear roles, clear processes and clear responsibilities. Our approach is based on many years of practical experience in operational board work and on supporting numerous companies. With an eye on stakeholder expectations and future requirements, we ensure that your board work not only works today, but also delivers tomorrow.
Self-assessments
We make board work measurable – with independent self-assessments that highlight strengths and reveal potential. For over ten years, we have been supporting supervisory and advisory boards in conducting efficiency reviews – from listed companies to large family-owned businesses. Our approach is flexible and tailored: we use online questionnaires, interviews and supplementary modules to adapt the depth and focus of the evaluation to the needs of our clients. The results not only provide transparency, but also clear recommendations for action – with best practices that sustainably develop the work of the boards.
Audit Quality
Audit quality determines trust, transparency and legal certainty – and this is precisely where we come in. We use an independent evaluation approach to help audit committees meet the increased requirements of the FISG. Our evaluation combines written surveys with optional interviews, incorporating best practice approaches and experiences from national and international board work. The result: a well-founded, objective assessment of audit quality that not only creates transparency but also provides clear impetus for improvements.
Tendering the audit
A successful tendering process for the audit requires neutrality, objectivity and a clear process – and that is precisely what we offer. With a tried and tested framework, we support boards in meeting the requirements of the EU audit reform. As an independent sparring partner, we manage the entire tendering process, relieve the burden on internal resources and ensure efficient and transparent implementation. Thanks to our role as a central interface between the working group, management board, audit committee and supervisory board, we ensure clarity, commitment and a smooth process.
Digital board management
Digitalisation in board work requires more than just software – it requires the right solution. With our experience in working with a variety of board management tools, we support boards in selecting the appropriate software. We provide practical insights, develop a customised set of specifications and support the implementation until it is successfully launched. We align processes in such a way that the digitalisation of board work not only increases efficiency but also has a lasting effect.
