IFA-Ethics & Boards Barometer: 10 years of governance practices
Ethics & Boards and IFA are publishing the 10th edition of their annual Barometer on responsible corporate governance among SBF 120 companies. For this anniversary edition, the Barometer takes a look back at a decade of evolving governance practices and continues its analysis of the major transformations reshaping the role and responsibilities of boards.
Read the barometer
Hôtel Lutetia, Paris
Forum Gouvernance 2026 — Economic sovereignty, succession plans and the Rixain law
Economic sovereignty, leadership succession and a first assessment of the Rixain law on women in executive bodies: Ethics & Boards joins the debate alongside board members, investors and advisers.
Board member pay — SBF 120 vs FTSE 100 · 46.7% lower — the average pay* per board member in the SBF 120 compared with the FTSE 100 · * estimated total pay awarded for all board work
SBF 120 · The 10th anniversary — of our IFA-Ethics & Boards Barometer of Responsible Governance
Board activity · 26.7% — of SBF 120 companies disclose Board and/or Committee work on AI in their 2025 Universal Registration Document
Age diversity — 2026 AGM elected profiles, SBF 120 · 41 years — is the maximum age gap
Independent Chair — SBF 120 · 28% — after the 2026 AGMs · 17% in 2016
Lead Independent Director — SBF 120 · 72% — of boards with a combined Chair/CEO role have appointed a Lead Independent Director after the 2026 AGM season · 46% in 2016
Companies must rethink their boards to meet the challenges ahead. Opening up to diverse and international profiles, and better integrating younger generations, could strengthen their capacity to adapt and their long-term strategic vision.
On the occasion of the tenth edition of their Barometer of Responsible Governance, the French Institute of Directors (IFA) and Ethics & Boards take stock of how governance has evolved in CAC 40 and SBF 120 companies after the 2026 general meetings.
Nine out of ten SBF 120 boards now have a sustainability committee. Yet the IFA-Ethics & Boards barometer points to a threshold effect: the spread of these committees is coming to an end, and the question of their real effectiveness is becoming central.
According to a study published on 24 September by the French Institute of Directors and Ethics & Boards, power is more collegial than it was ten years ago. But gender diversity on boards has not yet translated into more women appointed at the very top.
While the balance of powers and the integration of sustainability have clearly strengthened in French listed companies over ten years, the renewal of board profiles has reached a plateau, according to the tenth edition of the Barometer of Responsible Governance by the French Institute of Directors (IFA) and Ethics…
Far less debated than executive pay, the remuneration of board members has recently drawn more attention. The growing commitment asked of directors and the need to attract the best international talent argue for raising what used to be called directors’ fees.
An external board evaluation, a tailored benchmark, a Gov360 demo — tell us what you need, and let's talk.
Every week, one governance data point drawn from Gov360 Data — a measured fact on boards, remuneration or ESG, with the context to read it. Plus our studies and press mentions as they are published.
One email a week. Unsubscribe anytime.