CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 6 Godrej Consumer Products Limited Company’s Philosophy on The SVG1 rating implies that in ICRA’s current Corporate Governance: opinion, the Company belongs to the Highest Category on the composite parameters of At Godrej, Corporate Governance has been stakeholder value creation and management as practiced over the past 115 years. also corporate governance practices. The Company’s philosophy on Corporate 1. Board of Directors: Governance envisages attainment of the highest levels of transparency, accountability and Board Procedures equity in all facets of its operations and in all GCPL currently has a 12 member Board, with its interactions with its stakeholders including six independent directors. The independent shareholders, employees, lenders and the directors are eminent professionals from diverse Government. The Company is committed to fields such as finance, information systems, achieve and maintain the highest standards of marketing and corporate strategy. None of the Corporate Governance. The Company believes independent directors have been associated that all its actions must serve the underlying goal with the Godrej group in the past. GCPL’s Board of enhancing overall stakeholder value over a has a lead independent director, in line with sustained period of time. accepted best practices, to strengthen the focus The Company continues to enjoy a corporate and quality of discussion at the Board level. governance rating of CGR2+ (pronounced as CGR two plus) and Stakeholder Value Creation The Board meets at least once in a quarter to and Governance Rating of SVG1 (pronounced as review the quarterly performance and financial SVG 1) assigned by ICRA. results. Board meetings are governed with a structured agenda. The Board periodically The two ratings evaluate whether a Company reviews compliance reports in respect of laws and is being run on the principles of Corporate regulations applicable to the Company. Before Governance and whether the practices followed the commencement of the Audit Committee by the Company lead to value creation for all its meeting, the members of the Audit Committee shareholders. which consists entirely of independent directors, The CGR2 rating is on a rating scale of CGR1 to have discussions with the statutory auditor CGR6 where CGR1 denotes the highest rating. without the management team or whole time The CGR2+ rating implies that in ICRA’s current directors being present in that meeting. For all opinion, the rated Company has adopted and major items, discussed at the Board meeting, follows such practices, conventions and codes comprehensive background information is as would provide its financial stakeholders a high provided to the Board to enable them to take level of assurance on the quality of corporate an informed decision. Once in a year, the Board governance. members participate in a strategy meeting in which it also interacts with the management The SVG1 rating is on a rating scale of SVG1 to teams of the Company. During the strategy SVG6 where SVG1 denotes the highest rating. meeting process, the independent directors also 42 Unleashing Growth and Innovation Annual Report and Accounts 2012 have a meeting amongst themselves after which Engineering Honor Society). Mr. Godrej is Chairman they provide their valuable insight to the entire of the Board of the Indian School of Business; Board and the management team. President, Confederation of Indian Industry; Mr. Godrej is a patron of the Himalayan Club. He is a. Composition of the Board: a recipient of several awards and recognitions The composition of the Board as on March 31, including the Rajiv Gandhi Award 2002, the 2012 was as under: Entrepreneur of the Year for the Asia Pacific Category No of Entrepreneurship Awards 2010, Best Businessman Directors of the Year for the GQ Men of the Year Awards (i) Non Independent Directors 2010, Chemexcil’s Life Time Achievement Award Executive Chairman 1 2010, AIMA-JRD Tata Corporate Leadership Award Managing Director 1 2010, BMA-Management Man of the Year Award Other Non Executive Promoter 4 Directors 2010-2011, Qimpro Platinum Standard award for Sub. Total 6 business in 2011. (ii) Independent Directors 6 Total Strength (i + ii) 12 Mr. Godrej received his undergraduate and Master’s degree in management from the b. Directors’ Profile: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mr. Adi Godrej: Mr. Jamshyd Godrej: Adi Godrej is the chairman of the Godrej Group. He Mr. Jamshyd N. Godrej is the Chairman is also chairman of Godrej Industries Ltd., Godrej and Managing Director of Godrej & Boyce Consumer Products Ltd., Godrej Properties Ltd., Manufacturing Company Limited, the holding Godrej Hershey Ltd., The Godrej Group is one of company of the Godrej group. Godrej and Boyce India’s largest conglomerates. has diverse businesses ranging from refrigerators, washing machines, air-conditioners, office and Mr. Godrej is a Director in numerous companies, home furniture, security equipment for banks including Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd., Godrej (such as safes, strong room doors, bank lockers, Agrovet Ltd., Godrej International Ltd. He is the etc.) and for commercial establishments and former Chairman and President of the Indian homes, locks and latches, forklift trucks and Soap & Toiletries Makers’ Association, The Central warehousing equipment, to process equipment Organisation for Oil Industry and Trade, The Solvent for chemical, petrochemical, refineries and allied Extractors’ Association of India, The Compound industries, precision tools for sheet metal, zinc, Livestock Feeds Manufacturers’ Association, the aluminium and real estate development. Indo-American Society and the Governing Council The Godrej group is a leader in home appliances, of the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management consumer durables, office equipment, industrial Studies and former member of the Dean’s Advisory products, consumer products and services. Council of the MIT Sloan School of Management Jamshyd is the Chairman Emeritus of Aspen and the Wharton Asian Executive Board. Institute India. He is the Trustee and President Mr. Godrej is a member of Tau Beta Pi (The Emeritus of World Wide Fund for Nature – India. 43 Unleashing Growth and Innovation Godrej Consumer Products Limited He is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors Consumer Products, Mahindra & Mahindra and of Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd. Chairman of India Resources Trust. He is a Director of World Resources Institute, USA, A veteran of Indian industry, Nadir has played Director of Climate Works Foundation, USA and an important role in developing the animal feed, Director of Global Footprint Network, USA. He agricultural input and chemicals businesses is a member of the Toyota Motor Asia Pacific owned by Godrej. His active interest in research Regional Advisory Committee. He is the Past related to these areas has resulted in several President of Confederation of Indian Industry and patents in the field of agricultural chemicals and also the Past President of the Indian Machine surfactants. Tool Manufacturers’ Association. With his tremendous experience and expertise Jamshyd is the Chairman of the CII Sohrabji Nadir has also contributed to the development of Godrej Green Business Centre. The Centre a variety of industries by participating keenly in is housed in a LEED Platinum demonstration industry bodies such as the Compound Livestock building which is the first green building in India Feed Manufacturers Association of India, Indian and the greenest building in the world at the time Chemical Manufacturers Association and Oil when it was rated. The Green Business Centre Technologists’ Association of India. is a Centre of Excellence for green buildings, energy efficiency, energy conservation, non- Currently, Nadir is the President of Alliance conventional energy sources, water policy, water Francaise Mumbai. For his contribution to conservation, etc. Indo-French relations, the French Government Jamshyd is an ardent yachting enthusiast and has honored Mr. Godrej with the awards of has done extensive cruising along the west “Chevalier de L’Ordre National due Merite” and coast of India, the Baltic & North Sea, the Atlantic “The National Order of the Legion of Honour”. Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea. A Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from the For his contribution to Indian industry Jamshyd Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a has been the recipient of several awards and Master of Chemical Engineering from Stanford recognitions including the `Padma Bhushan’, University, Nadir has also done his MBA from the conferred upon him by the President of India on Harvard Business School. 3rd April, 2003. Ms. Tanya Dubash : Jamshyd received his graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Tanya Dubash is on the boards of several Godrej Technology, USA. Group companies including Godrej Consumer Products Ltd., Godrej Industries Ltd., and Godrej Mr. Nadir Godrej : Agrovet Ltd. As Executive Director & Chief Brand Nadir Godrej is the Managing Director of Godrej Officer of Godrej Industries Limited, she is also Industries and Chairman, Godrej Agrovet. He charged with enhancing the value of the Godrej is also a Director in many companies including Brand and evolving the Group to a more Brand Godrej & Boyce, Godrej Properties, Godrej driven organization. 44 Unleashing Growth and Innovation Annual Report and Accounts 2012 She heads the Strategic Marketing Group Family Council. She is on the Board