About Us

Created in 2005 by two academic institutions (HEC Montréal and Concordia University – The John Molson School of Business), the Stephen Jarislowsky Foundation and the Autorité des marchés financiers, the Institute for governance (IGOPP) has become a centre for excellence about governance of public and private organizations. Through research, training programs, policy papers and participation in public debates, IGOPP has become a key reference on all issues of governance in the private and public sectors.

The core issue at stake in governance is this:

“How can a small group of people, working on a part-time basis, successfully oversee, manage and guide the executives of an organization, make strategic decisions and protect and promote the interests of their principals?”

Dr Yvan Allaire, PhD (MIT), FRSC
Executive Chair

Our mission

  • Assume intellectual leadership in the area of governance;
  • Strengthen fiduciary governance in the public and private sectors;
  • Make organizations evolve from a fiduciary mode of governance to a value-creating governance®;
  • Contribute to debates, and the solution, of governance problems by taking positions on important issues, through media interventions, and by a wide dissemination of information and knowledge about governance.

Our activities

The Institute carries out activities in four particular areas:

Policy papers

  • Choosing board members
  • Proxy Advisors
  • Executive compensation
  • ”Say on Pay”
  • Women Corporate Directors in Canada
  • Independence of Board Members
  • Corporate citizenship and the right to vote
  • Dual-Class share structures in Canada

Research and publications

  • Hedge Funds Activism
  • Activist Boards
  • Executive and board members compensation
  • Governance of Canadian Airports
  • Governance of Quebec government- owned corporations
  • Governance of universities
  • Governance of public health institutions
  • Governance of SMEs

Seminars on value-creating governance®

  • Corporate Governance
  • Governance of SMEs
  • Governance for NPO
  • Customized Training
  • President of the Board
  • Young directors

Board evaluation and governance interventions

  • Self-assessment by the board of directors
  • Basic review of governance practices and recommendations
  • Custom designed training ” Toward value-creating governance ”®