The subject matter of this Master's thesis is to describe and to analyze the legislation of the fiduciary duties as well as the related questions such as the business judgment rule and the request on the management decisions. The fiduciary duties represent the standard of acting which must be respected by the member of the elected body during the exercise of the managerial power. The business judgment rule, however, protects the members of the elected bodies from unjustified accusations of the violation of the standard of the acting while in the final consequence represents the protection of the authority to undertake the decisions. The request on the management decision represents an exception from the common rule, solely entrusting the management of the business into the hands of the statutory body. The main aim of this thesis is to describe and to analyze the listed legislations including the crucial questions arising from these issues together with the suggestion of the solutions. The diploma thesis consists of four chapters. First chapter presents the introductory treatise on the implementation of the legal establishment of the corporate governance together with the emphasis on the economical output. The second chapter is dedicated to the very merit. The legislation of the fiduciary duties,...

Prior to the introduction of section 37C into the Pension Funds Act. 24 of 1956, the benefit payable as a result of the death of a member would devolve in accordance with his last will and testament or the provisions of intestate succession. The advent of section 37C brought a statutory regime which expressly excludes freedom of testation and rather looks to the board of a fund to distribute the death benefit. The board may only pay the dependants of a deceased (either factual or legal) or the persons he has recorded on his nomination form. The section relies on the board to exercise its discretion in a manner which results in an equitable distribution of the death benefit notwithstanding that it does not provide any guidelines as to how this is to be achieved. Accordingly, numerous decisions are challenged by the identified beneficiaries because they are unhappy with the manner in which the board exercised its discretion. This results in complaints being lodged with the Pension Funds Adjudicator. Many such complaints should never have arisen or could have been easily solved by a proper exercise of discretion on the part of the board. The problem is that these complaints are adding to an already burdened office. Adequate training and understanding of the obligations of section 37C would probably result in fewer complaints to the Adjudicator. This dissertation examines whether the determinations which have been issued by the Adjudicator in respect of section 37C indicate a need for such training and understanding and, if they do, what possible remedies there might be to cure such a problem. Recommendations arising from this are that trustees must receive training focused on section 37C and proposed practical protocols to assist a board when exercising its duty to make an equitable distribution. / Jurisprudence / LL.M.

Les trusts anglo-américains (anglais, américain et des Iles Cook) coexistent avec les trusts de droit civil (les fidéicommis argentin, bolivien, panaméen et la fiducie française). Ils appartiennent aux deux familles de droit de Common Law et romano-germanique et ont des structures différentes. Les trusts exprès anglo-américains sont créés par acte unilatéral du constituant et mettent en place une relation trustee-bénéficiaire. Les trusts de droit civil sont créés par contrat (ou testament) entre le constituant et le fiduciaire et ne donnent pas des droits réels aux bénéficiaires. Malgré leur différence de structure, les deux trusts fonctionnent de manière équivalente, grâce au transfert de propriété au fiduciaire et à l’étanchéité du patrimoine fiduciaire. Les réserves héréditaires sont un élément extérieur à la structure des trusts testamentaires ; ceux-ci fonctionnent de manière analogue. Les techniques d’investissement et de gestion fiduciaire sont aussi similaires : des clauses conditionnelles d’accès ou fin de la propriété fiduciaire et des pouvoirs discrétionnaires donnés au trustee sont communs aux deux modèles de trust. La séparation du patrimoine sert à mettre en place des trusts de gestion, de protection ou de garantie de financement de projet, de défaisance ou de titrisation. Le fonctionnement du FCP, similaire à celui des Unit Trusts, devrait donner la propriété fiduciaire des actifs au dépositaire. Des éléments de la loi, extérieurs à la structure de la fiducie, qui n’existent pas chez ses homologues latino et anglo-américains, empêchent son fonctionnement normal. Nous proposons de modifier la loi sur la fiducie, sur les FCP et les fonds de titrisation / Anglo-American express private trusts, Latin-American fideicomiso and French fiducia”. Common Law trusts (English, American and Cook Islands) co-exist with civil law domestic trusts (Argentinean, Bolivian and Panamanian fideicomiso and French fiducia). They belong to the Common Law and continental law families respectively and have different structures. Anglo-American express trusts are settled by a settlor (declaration, gift) or by a will that creates an equitable relationship between the trustee and the cestui, whereby both share legal and equitable interests on the trust property. Civil law trusts are settled by a contract between the settlor and the trustee and by a will. Thus, a civil law trust beneficiary has only personal remedies against a trustee in respect of breach of trust. Despite the structural differences, both types of trusts operate in similar ways, due to the transfer of property to the trustee and the separation of the trust property. Testamentary trusts also work in a similar way; forced heirship is an external element of both. Trust managing and investment techniques and practices are also similar: condition precedent and condition subsequent clauses and discretionary trusts and powers are common to both trust models. Separation of the trust property allows for the settlement of protective trusts, trusts for project financing, defeasance and securitization. French Mutual Funds are comparable to Unit Trusts. Both should give legal title to the trustee (custodian). External elements of French law, which do not exist in Anglo or Latin American trusts, restrain the normal operation and use of French fiducia. We propose to modify the fiducia, mutual and securitization funds law.

Este trabalho propõe-se a estudar, mediante abordagem teórica e prática, o regime jurídico das debêntures, tendo em vista as recentes alterações introduzidas pela Lei nº 12.431, de 24 de junho de 2011, que promoveu mudanças significativas em sua disciplina, bem como examinar os problemas e questões atuais das debêntures em um contexto evolutivo da doutrina e dos casos práticos que lhe são submetidos à análise, tendo em vista o uso cada vez mais frequente desse mecanismo de financiamento das sociedades. Busca-se, também, examinar o funcionamento do mercado de debêntures e as novas propostas para incentivar a circulação dos títulos de dívida. Dentre as questões mais controvertidas a serem estudadas neste trabalho, destacam-se as seguintes: (i) evolução da natureza jurídica do instituto, em que as debêntures são vistas como títulos de dívida pertencentes à categoria dos valores mobiliários; (ii) criação do novo mercado de debêntures, como avanço à proposta do Novo Mercado de Renda Fixa; (iii) possibilidade de emissão de debêntures por sociedades limitadas e cooperativas, em razão da ausência de vedação legal e da existência de normas que lhe dão suporte jurídico; (iv) realização de negócios jurídicos com debêntures que vão além da sua função econômica de financiamento da empresa; (v) existência da organização dos debenturistas, em complemento à ideia de comunhão de interesses, tendo em vista o seu caráter orgânico; e, por fim, (vi) se os deveres fiduciários dos administradores se voltariam também aos interesses dos debenturistas, como credores especiais da sociedade emitente. / This work aims to study, through a theoretical and practical approach, the legal system of debentures in view of the recent changes introduced by Law No. 1431, of June 24, 2011, affecting significantly their discipline, and also to examine their current problems and issues within the evolutionary context of the doctrine and the case studies that are submitted to analysis, since the use of this financing mechanism by companies has been increasingly frequent. It also seeks to examine the functioning of the debenture market and the new proposals to stimulate the circulation of debt bonds. Amongst the most controversial issues to be studied in this work, the following are highlighted: (i) the evolution of the legal nature of this institute, in which debentures are seen as debt notes pertaining to the category of securities; (ii) the creation of a new debenture market as an advancement to the proposal of the New Fixed Income Market; (iii) the possibility of limited partnerships and cooperatives issuing debentures in view of the absence of a legal prohibition and the existence of norms that give legal support to it; (iv) the consummation of legal transactions with debentures that go beyond their economic function of business financing; (v) the existence of a debenture holder organization as a complement to the idea of pooling of interests, in view of its organic character; and, finally, (vi) whether the fiduciary duties of the administrators would also accommodate the interests of the debenture holders, while in their position of special creditors to the issuing business.

Este trabalho propõe-se a estudar, mediante abordagem teórica e prática, o regime jurídico das debêntures, tendo em vista as recentes alterações introduzidas pela Lei nº 12.431, de 24 de junho de 2011, que promoveu mudanças significativas em sua disciplina, bem como examinar os problemas e questões atuais das debêntures em um contexto evolutivo da doutrina e dos casos práticos que lhe são submetidos à análise, tendo em vista o uso cada vez mais frequente desse mecanismo de financiamento das sociedades. Busca-se, também, examinar o funcionamento do mercado de debêntures e as novas propostas para incentivar a circulação dos títulos de dívida. Dentre as questões mais controvertidas a serem estudadas neste trabalho, destacam-se as seguintes: (i) evolução da natureza jurídica do instituto, em que as debêntures são vistas como títulos de dívida pertencentes à categoria dos valores mobiliários; (ii) criação do novo mercado de debêntures, como avanço à proposta do Novo Mercado de Renda Fixa; (iii) possibilidade de emissão de debêntures por sociedades limitadas e cooperativas, em razão da ausência de vedação legal e da existência de normas que lhe dão suporte jurídico; (iv) realização de negócios jurídicos com debêntures que vão além da sua função econômica de financiamento da empresa; (v) existência da organização dos debenturistas, em complemento à ideia de comunhão de interesses, tendo em vista o seu caráter orgânico; e, por fim, (vi) se os deveres fiduciários dos administradores se voltariam também aos interesses dos debenturistas, como credores especiais da sociedade emitente. / This work aims to study, through a theoretical and practical approach, the legal system of debentures in view of the recent changes introduced by Law No. 1431, of June 24, 2011, affecting significantly their discipline, and also to examine their current problems and issues within the evolutionary context of the doctrine and the case studies that are submitted to analysis, since the use of this financing mechanism by companies has been increasingly frequent. It also seeks to examine the functioning of the debenture market and the new proposals to stimulate the circulation of debt bonds. Amongst the most controversial issues to be studied in this work, the following are highlighted: (i) the evolution of the legal nature of this institute, in which debentures are seen as debt notes pertaining to the category of securities; (ii) the creation of a new debenture market as an advancement to the proposal of the New Fixed Income Market; (iii) the possibility of limited partnerships and cooperatives issuing debentures in view of the absence of a legal prohibition and the existence of norms that give legal support to it; (iv) the consummation of legal transactions with debentures that go beyond their economic function of business financing; (v) the existence of a debenture holder organization as a complement to the idea of pooling of interests, in view of its organic character; and, finally, (vi) whether the fiduciary duties of the administrators would also accommodate the interests of the debenture holders, while in their position of special creditors to the issuing business.

Since their creation in Europe in the seventeenth century, pension funds have grown to become one of the main sources of capital in the world. A number of role players ultimately manage the pension money of members on their behalf. Accordingly, the focus of this study is on the role players involved in the actual investment of pension fund money. For the purposes of the study, the key role players in the pension fund investment chain are identified as pension fund trustees, asset managers and asset consultants. These role players have a specific responsibility in terms of the service that they ought to provide. One of the key aspects of this dissertation is therefore determining whether their responsibility is a fiduciary responsibility. The main purpose of the study is, however, to answer one overarching research question: Does fiduciary responsibility create barriers to the implementation of responsible investment in the South African pension fund investment chain? Clearly, there are two key terms in this research question, fiduciary responsibility and responsible investment. It is suggested that responsible investment takes at least two forms: a “business case” form1 in which environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues are considered only in so far as they are financially material; and a social form in which ESG issues are considered over maximising risk adjusted financial returns. Three key questions were asked in order to find qualitative descriptions and interpretations of fiduciary responsibility: Question 1: Are the key role players in the pension fund investment chain fiduciaries? Question 2: If so, to whom do the key role players owe their fiduciary duty? Question 3: What are the fiduciary duties of the key role players in the pension fund investment chain? It is also suggested that the duty to act in the best interests of beneficiaries could be described as the all-encompassing fiduciary duty. Two main interpretations of the / Private Law / LL.M.

No description available.

Prior to the introduction of section 37C into the Pension Funds Act. 24 of 1956, the benefit payable as a result of the death of a member would devolve in accordance with his last will and testament or the provisions of intestate succession. The advent of section 37C brought a statutory regime which expressly excludes freedom of testation and rather looks to the board of a fund to distribute the death benefit. The board may only pay the dependants of a deceased (either factual or legal) or the persons he has recorded on his nomination form. The section relies on the board to exercise its discretion in a manner which results in an equitable distribution of the death benefit notwithstanding that it does not provide any guidelines as to how this is to be achieved. Accordingly, numerous decisions are challenged by the identified beneficiaries because they are unhappy with the manner in which the board exercised its discretion. This results in complaints being lodged with the Pension Funds Adjudicator. Many such complaints should never have arisen or could have been easily solved by a proper exercise of discretion on the part of the board. The problem is that these complaints are adding to an already burdened office. Adequate training and understanding of the obligations of section 37C would probably result in fewer complaints to the Adjudicator. This dissertation examines whether the determinations which have been issued by the Adjudicator in respect of section 37C indicate a need for such training and understanding and, if they do, what possible remedies there might be to cure such a problem. Recommendations arising from this are that trustees must receive training focused on section 37C and proposed practical protocols to assist a board when exercising its duty to make an equitable distribution. / Jurisprudence / LL. M.

Section 71(3) of the Companies Act 71 of 2008 has introduced into South African company law a provision which for the first time permits the board of directors to remove another director from office in certain specific instances. A further significant innovation in the Companies Act 71 of 2008 is contained in section 162, which empowers a court to make an order declaring a director delinquent or placing him under probation in specific instances. The effect of section 162 is that a court is empowered to remove a director from the board of directors. The focus of this thesis is the removal of directors from office by the board of directors and by the judiciary. The thesis explores the underpinning philosophy of the statutory provisions relating to the removal of directors from office. It also examines the impact of the power given to the board of directors and to the courts to remove a director from office. The grounds and the procedures for the removal of directors by the board of directors and the judiciary are examined. The fiduciary duties applicable to directors in removing a director from the board of directors are also explored. In addition, this thesis examines the removal of directors holding multiple positions or capacities in relation to a company, such as an employee or a shareholder with loaded voting rights. The remedies which may be relied on by a director who has been removed from office by the board of directors are examined. Recommendations are made to strengthen and improve the provisions in the Companies Act 71 of 2008 relating to the removal of directors from office by the board of directors and the judiciary. Amendments to the Companies Act 71 of 2008 are suggested to remove ambiguities; to guard against the abuse of sections 71(3) and 162; to improve the grounds and procedures for the removal of directors by the board of directors and the judiciary, and to enhance the remedies that may be relied on by a director who has been removed from office by the board of directors. / Artikel 71(3) van die Maatskappywet 71 van 2008 het ’n bepaling tot Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappyreg toegevoeg wat die direksie vir die eerste keer in staat stel om ’n ander direkteur in sekere spesifieke gevalle uit sy of haar amp te verwyder. ’n Verdere belangrike vernuwing in die Maatskappywet 71 van 2008 word in artikel 162 vervat, wat ’n hof magtig om ’n bevel uit te vaardig wat ’n direkteur misdadig verklaar of hom of haar in spesifieke gevalle aan ’n proeftydperk onderwerp. Die effek van artikel 162 is dat ’n hof by magte is om ’n direkteur uit die direksie te verwyder. Die fokus van hierdie tesis is die verwydering van direkteure uit hul ampte deur die direksie en die regbank. Die tesis verken die onderliggende filosofie van die statutêre bepalings wat met die verwydering van direkteure uit hul ampte verband hou. Dit ondersoek ook die impak van die bevoegdheid wat aan die direksie en die howe verleen word om ’n direkteur uit sy of haar amp te verwyder. Die gronde en prosedures vir die verwydering van direkteure deur die direksie en die regbank word ondersoek. Die fidusiêre pligte van toepassing op direkteure by die verwydering van ’n direkteur uit die direksie word ook verken. Daarbenewens ondersoek hierdie tesis die verwydering van direkteure wat veelvuldige posisies of hoedanighede met betrekking tot ’n maatskappy beklee, soos ʼn werknemer of aandeelhouer met gelaaide stemregte. Die regsmiddele waarop ’n direkteur, wat deur die direksie uit sy of haar amp verwyder is, kan steun, word ondersoek. Aanbevelings word gemaak om die bepalings in die Maatskappywet 71 van 2008, wat met die verwydering van direkteure uit hul ampte deur die direksie en regbank verband hou, te versterk en te verbeter. Wysigings aan die Maatskappywet 71 van 2008 word voorgestel om dubbelsinnighede uit te skakel; om teen die misbruik van artikels 71(3) en 162 te waak; om die gronde en prosedures vir die verwydering van direkteure deur die direksie en die regbank te verbeter, en om die regsmiddele waarop ’n direkteur wat deur die direksie uit sy of haar amp verwyder is kan steun, te versterk. / ISigaba 71(3) Somthetho weZinkampani 71 ka 2008 sewuze wangenisa emithethweni yezinkampani zaseNingizimu Afrika, umthetho ongowokuqala ovumela ibhodi labaqondisi ukuthi libe namandla wokugudluza omunye umqondisi esikhundleni sakhe ngaphansi kwezimo ezithile. Olunye ushintsho olusha kuMthetho wama-71 weZinkampani ka 2008 uqukethwe yiSigaba 162, wona ugunyaza inkantolo ukuthi ikhiphe umyalelo owazisa umqondisi ngokuthi unecala noma obeka umqondisi ngaphansi kophenyo, phecelezi “probation” ngesinye isikhathi. Inhloso yeSigaba 162 wukunikeza inkantolo igunya lokugudluza umqondisi kwibhodi labaqondisi. Impokophelo yale thisisi wukugudluzwa kwabaqondisi, bagudluzwe yibhodi labaqondisi kanye nomthetho/nobulungisa. Ithisisi ihlola ifilosofi yemithetho ekhishiwe emayelana nokugudluzwa kwabaqondisi ezikhundleni zabo, Kanti futhi ihlola umthelela wamandla anikezwe ibhodi labaqondisi kanye nezinkantolo ukuthi zigudluze umqondisi esikhundleni. Izizathu kanye nengqubo elandelwayo mayelana nokugudluzwa kwabaqondisi yibhodi labaqondisi kanye nomthetho nazo ziyahlolwa. Imisebenzi emayelana nokuthembeka eyenziwa ngabaqondisi ukugudluza umqondisi kwibhodi labaqondisi nayo iyacwaningwa Ngaphezu kwalokhu, le thisisi .iphenya ukugudluzwa kwabaqondisi abaqokwe ezikhundleni eziningi noma abanegunya elithize ngokwengqubo yenkampani, enjengesisebenzi, phecelezi “employee” noma umabelwa-mashezi onamalungelo amaningi okuvota, phecelezi, “loaded with voting rights”. Izeluleko ezingasetshenziswa wumqondisi ogudluzwe esikhundleni sakhe yibhodi labaqondisi nazo ziyahlolwa. Izincomo nazo ziyenziwa ngenhloso yokuqinisa kanye nokuthuthukiswa kwamandla oMthetho we-71 weZinkampani ka 2008, mayelana nokugudluzwa kwabaqondisi ezikhundleni yibhodi labaqondisi kanye nomthetho. Izinguquko zoMthetho wama-71 weZinkampani ka 2008 ziqonde ukususa izixakaxaka, ukulwa nokudlelezelwa kweSigaba 71(3) kanye no 162, ukuthuthukisa izizathu kanye nezingqubo zokugudluzwa kwabaqondisi yibhodi labaqondisi kanye nomthetho, ukuqinisa izindlela zokulungisa ezingasetshenziswa wumqondisi osegudluziwe esikhundleni yibhodi labaqondisi. / Mercantile Law / LL. D.

This thesis investigates the current interrelationship between the provisions contained in the Swedish Company Act (2005:551) and activities related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pursued by companies listed at Nasdaq Stockholm. The focal point of this thesis could be argued to be of particular relevance in this day and age, as companies listed at Nasdaq Stockholm continue to perform at the top of the league in global sustainability performance measurements, and Swedish and European legislators have intensified their efforts to encourage businesses to operate in a way that does not incur unacceptable social costs to society. Thus, most companies, particularly those with a vested interest in the private consumer market, seem to recognise the importance of fostering long-term relationships with a wide sphere of stakeholders. The purpose of the thesis has been to contribute to the steadily increasing body of legal research that discusses to what extent Swedish companies, without breaching corporate law, could involve themselves in CSR investments. Since I, initially, conclude that Swedish publicly listed companies seem to increasingly invest in activities related to CSR, the thesis also discusses whether the relevant provisions of the SCA need to change to better adapt to companies’ involvement in CSR activities. In brief, I argue, that current business research on CSR coupled with the aforementioned relevant provisions of the SCA allow boards and managing directors to pursue practically any CSR investments, and that shareholders are mostly restricted to rely on relatively blunt ex post actions against a board and/or managing director that has pursued an ill-considered CSR investment, including the obvious choices of voting to replace the board or selling their shares. And since current business research has not consistently proven the positive impact of CSR policies on the financial performance of businesses there are reasons to suspect that the law practically, due to the shielding force of the business judgment rationale and the legislator’s wish to protect most transactions, cannot be effectively applied to stop CSR investments, even if these are nothing but costs for the business. On the other hand, the findings of the thesis also suggest that the occurrence of such unwise CSR investments is not necessarily a proliferating problem, since many companies listed at Nasdaq Stockholm nowadays have powerful and short-sighted institutional owners. The situation might therefore very well be the opposite and that executives struggle to manage for the long-term, as the logic of the market tell them to do otherwise. / Den här examensuppsatsen utforskar förhållandet mellan några av aktiebolagslagens regler och det engagemang som bolag noterade på Nasdaq Stockholm uppvisar i frågor rörande Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Ämnet kan sägas vara särskilt relevant då såväl det samtida näringslivet som lagstiftaren tycks präglas av en ökad medvetenhet kring CSR-frågor. Den ökade medvetenheten i näringslivet förefaller alltmer inverka på affärsbeslut, ett faktum som inte minst avspeglas i de svenska bolagens topplaceringar i globala index som mäter bolags arbete med hållbarhetsfrågor. Samtidigt speglas lagstiftarens ökade medvetenhet av allt fler svenska som europeiska regulatoriska initiativ på området och vars yttersta syfte är att uppmuntra och stimulera hållbara företag som inte pådyvlar samhället oacceptabla sociala kostnader. Det är således inte särskilt anmärkningsvärt att bolagen, i synnerhet de med intressen anknutna till konsumentmarknaderna, tycks erkänna vikten av att bygga och underhålla långsiktiga relationer med en vidare krets av intressenter än deras aktieägare. Det är min förhoppning att den här uppsatsen kommer att bidra till den ständigt växande del av den aktiebolagsrättsliga diskursen som diskuterar till vilken grad bolag, utan att handla i strid med ABL:s bestämmelser, kan företa åtgärder kopplade till CSR. Eftersom jag inledningsvis anför att bolagen på Nasdaq Stockholm tycks ägna sig allt mer åt CSR diskuterar också uppsatsen om några av ABL:s bestämmelser bör förändras för att bättre hantera dessa företags allt större engagemang i CSR-frågor. Sammanfattningsvis argumenterar jag för att nuvarande företagsekonomisk forskning kring CSR tillsammans med de aktuella bestämmelsernas juridiska innebörd innebär att såväl bolagsstyrelser som verkställande direktörer kan företa i princip vilken investering relaterad till CSR som helst. Aktieägare är i praktiken hänvisade till att söka åstadkomma långsiktigt lönsamma satsningar på hållbarhet genom sanktioner ex post, exempelvis genom att sälja sina aktier eller rösta bort styrelsen. Detta innebär å ena sidan i praktiken, med tanke på att nuvarande företagsekonomisk forskning kring CSR:s inverkan på bolags vinster är tvetydig, att de relevanta bestämmelserna i ABL såsom de nu är utformade utgör en trygg hamn även för många av de transaktioner relaterade till CSR som är direkt värdeförstörande. Å andra sidan argumenterar jag i uppsatsen för att problemet med överinvesteringar i CSR inte nödvändigtvis behöver vara särskilt utbrett då bolagen och deras bolagsstyrning allt mer kommit att präglas av kortsiktiga investeringsperspektiv.