Sebi chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey on Thursday highlighted the need for governance to go beyond structure to substance in light of how technology has evolved the markets and that the challenges of today are far more complex than those of a decade ago.
In his speech at the Gatekeepers of Governance – Corporate Governance Summit at SBI Banking and Economics Conclave, he said, “Technology has compressed time; information spreads instantly; and reputation can get affected overnight.”
He added that boards must view culture as an asset which needs to be monitored, measured and nurtured as leading institutions are now tracking indicators like employee feedback, whistle-blower activity, and conduct trends.
On digital governance, he said: “Today, algorithms execute trades, manage portfolios and even risks. Yet, with technology comes accountability. Boards must oversee not just financial risks, but data ethics, cyber resilience and algorithmic fairness.”
According to him, instead of treating disclosure as a compliance exercise, companies should view it as an opportunity to communicate values and judgment. He added, “ESG must be authentic —not a branding exercise.”
To turn regulatory obligations to advantage, he said, boards should adopt governance scorecards and a standing ethics committee at the board level can act as an early-warning mechanism. “Automation in compliance, machine-readable reporting, and real-time surveillance can transform transparency from aspiration to reality,” he said.