The Society for Corporate Governance, Inc. (the "Society"), founded in 1946 as the American Society of Corporate Secretaries, has over 3,500 members representing approximately 2,500 companies. Its members deal with public disclosure under the securities laws and matters affecting corporate governance, including the structure and meetings of the board of directors and its committees, the proxy process and the annual meeting of shareholders and shareholder relations, particularly with large institutional owners.
The Society acts as a positive force for enlightened corporate governance and changed its name to the Society for Corporate Governance in 2016 to demonstrate the importance it places on this key mission.
The Society comments regularly on proposed and existing rules and regulations of governmental agencies and other bodies, and occasionally on legislative matters in areas of particular interest to members. It also promotes and assists in the voluntary exchange of information and experience relating to the duties, problems, and practices of corporate secretaries and their companies through the Society's committees, chapters, publications and research, and its seminars and conferences.
The Society functions in large part through the contributions in time and effort of its members, most often through participation in the activities of its 25 local chapters or its several national committees. The National Office staff provides research and administrative support, publishes Society reports, surveys and other documents developed by member committees, produces a newsletter and other publications, and is generally responsible for all financial, membership and other administrative matters attendant to the operation of a large professional organization.