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Director responsibilities

Directors are responsible for assessing whether the business is a going concern, ie, whether it can continue for the foreseeable future. Our guidance outlines directors responsibilities in relation to going concern and for the viability of the business more broadly. Our guidance also offers practical advice on strategic finance and resilience planning.

For further resources, visit our directors’ duties hub.

How do I discharge my duties as a director in the current crisis?

07-04-2020

This know-how guide for directors is intended to reassure directors that they have identified all relevant considerations for themselves and for their companies, covering internal governance, transactions between a company and its directors or shareholders, and corporate administration. It also covers directors’ responsibilities in relation to insolvent or financially challenged companies.

Guidance for directors of SME businesses

28-04-2020

This know-how guide explains why it’s important to assess the viability of your business for the purposes of your accounts and outline some factors to consider when making this assessment.

Explaining the law on dividends

01-06-2020

This know-how guide provides an overview of the various laws that directors need to consider in determining whether they can lawfully, or ought to, pay a dividend. It explains that they are not limited to laws based on the balance of realised profits in the latest set of accounts.

Why company directors should use social media

11-05-2020

Directors should start using social media to engage with all stakeholders. Social media attracts an enormous number of users, including company employees, suppliers, and existing and new customers. In this ICAEW Connect and Reflect report, we describe the benefits of social media for directors.

How CFOs can help businesses emerge from the crisis

02-06-2020

Turnaround specialist Dr Philip Smith and Rick Payne from ICAEW’s Business and Management Faculty share their thoughts on how CFOs can help their organisations emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.