Corporate governance awareness
King V™ and Corporate Governance
CISA
2 CPD points
6 modules
NOTE
This course is most useful when employees can connect the governance principles to the organisation’s own approval rules, delegation structures, reporting lines, governance policies and escalation channels. King V™ is associated with the King V Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa.
The Institute of Directors in South Africa NPC holds rights in the King reports and codes on governance. Compliance Online is not associated with or endorsed by the IoDSA.
For more comprehensive King V™ governance advice, legal interpretation or corporate governance programme support, we can direct you to our subject matter experts at Cyclopedic.
overview
King V changes the governance baseline
King V™ was released by the Institute of Directors in South Africa and the King Committee on 31 October 2025. It supersedes King IV and applies to financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2026.
The Code retains an outcomes-based, principles-led approach, but it is not simply King IV with newer wording. King V simplifies the structure, reduces the principles from 17 to 13, refines the recommended practices and introduces a dedicated Disclosure Framework.
For organisations making the transition, the issue is not only knowing what changed. Governing bodies, executives and governance professionals need to understand how King V affects judgement, accountability, implementation and disclosure. Relevant employees also need to see how governance expectations connect to the decisions, information and escalation routes they encounter at work.
The course
Understand the Code, then apply it
The course introduces King V™, the purpose of corporate governance and the outcomes-based approach behind the Code. It covers ethical and effective leadership, organisational ethics, responsible corporate citizenship, strategy, performance, risk, compliance, technology and information, assurance, remuneration, stakeholder relationships and governance disclosure.
It also explains the transition from King IV to King V at an awareness level, including the streamlined principles, proportional application, the apply-and-explain approach and the role of the King V Disclosure Framework.
Scenario-based examples help learners connect these governance expectations to approvals, delegation, reporting, information handling, risk decisions, stakeholder interests and escalation in the workplace.
Transition
The transition to King V changes what organisations must explain, not only the governance language they use.
From King IV
The biggest change is disclosure
King V™ strengthens the apply-and-explain approach through a separate Disclosure Framework. An organisation claiming application of King V must use the Framework, publish its governance disclosures on its website and review them at least annually. The governing body approves the disclosure and gives its view on whether the governance outcomes have been realised.
King V is not legislation, but JSE-listed companies must apply and explain the King Code under the JSE Listings Requirements. For many other organisations, application is a market and stakeholder expectation unless a law, regulator, contract or sector requirement gives it more direct effect.
That distinction matters for training, and this course provides awareness of the Code and its workplace implications.
Help the right people understand what the move to King V changes.
Got questions? Start here.
What is King V and when does it take effect?
King V™ is the fifth iteration of South Africa’s corporate governance reports. It was released on 31 October 2025, supersedes King IV and is effective for financial years beginning on or after 1 January 2026. It provides an outcomes-based framework for ethical and effective leadership, organisational accountability and sustainable value creation.
Who should complete King V training?
The course is useful for board and committee members, executives, company secretaries and people working in governance, legal, compliance, risk, internal audit, sustainability, finance, technology and stakeholder management. It can also provide broader employees with a shared governance baseline where their decisions, information or reporting responsibilities affect governance outcomes.
How does King V differ from King IV?
King V keeps the outcomes-based and apply-and-explain approach established under King IV, but simplifies and sharpens it. The Code reduces the principles from 17 to 13, streamlines the recommended practices, reflects newer governance and reporting developments and introduces a dedicated Disclosure Framework to improve the consistency and comparability of governance reporting.
Is King V a legal requirement?
King V is a corporate governance code, not legislation. JSE-listed companies must apply and explain their application of the King Code under the JSE Listings Requirements. For many private companies, non-profit organisations and other entities, King V is primarily a governance benchmark and stakeholder expectation unless it is incorporated into another binding requirement. Its principles may also inform how governance conduct is assessed after something goes wrong.
Does the course cover practical application and disclosure?
Yes. The course uses scenario-based examples to connect King V principles to workplace decisions involving approvals, delegation, risk, information, technology, reporting, stakeholder interests and escalation. It introduces the transition and disclosure framework at an awareness level. It does not replace specialist implementation advice or formal board-development programmes.
Can the course be customised for our organisation?
Yes. The course can be customised to reflect your organisation’s governance policies, delegation framework, committee structures, approval rules, reporting lines, disclosure responsibilities, terminology and escalation channels. Customisation can also adjust the emphasis for boards, executives, governance professionals or a broader employee audience.
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