CORPORATE GOVERNANCE & SUSTAINABILITY | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Provision of Non-audit Services Shareholders In deciding whether the auditors should provide non-audit Communication with Shareholders services the following key principles are considered: and Investors • the auditors should not audit their own firm’s work The Board and senior management recognise their • the auditors should not make management decisions responsibility to represent the interests of all • the auditors’ independence should not be impaired shareholders and to maximise shareholder value. • quality of service Communication with shareholders and accountability In addition, the Company has a protocol in place for to shareholders is a high priority of the Company. approval of the provision of non-audit services by the The Company has a Shareholders’ Communication auditors. Any services which may be considered to be in Policy which is available on the Company’s website. The conflict with the role of the auditors must be submitted to Shareholders’ Communication Policy aims to ensure the Audit Committee for approval prior to engagement, that shareholders and the investment community are regardless of the amounts involved. The protocol is provided with appropriate and timely access to material updated from time to time to ensure compliance. information about the Company. It sets out the Fees paid to the auditors are disclosed in note 7 to the Company’s framework for promoting effective financial statements. communication with its shareholders so as to enable them to exercise their rights as shareholders in an Inside Information informed manner, and to allow the investment With respect to procedures and internal controls for the community to engage actively with the Company. The handling and dissemination of inside information, the Audit Committee reviews the implementation and Company: effectiveness of the Shareholders’ Communication Policy annually. The most recent review was conducted • is required to disclose inside information as soon as in August 2022 and the effectiveness of the policy reasonably practicable in accordance with the Securities was confirmed. and Futures Ordinance and the Listing Rules The methods used to communicate with shareholders • conducts its affairs with close regard to the “Guidelines include the following: on Disclosure of Inside Information” issued by the Securities and Futures Commission • the Chief Executive and Finance Director make • has included in its Corporate Code of Conduct a strict themselves available for meetings with major prohibition on the unauthorised use of confidential or shareholders, investors and analysts over two-month inside information periods immediately after the announcement of the • ensures, through its own internal reporting processes interim and annual results and at certain other times and the consideration of their outcome by senior during the year. In addition, they attended regular management, the appropriate handling and meetings with analysts and investors in Hong Kong, dissemination of inside information analyst briefings, investor group briefings, overseas roadshows and investor conferences during the year • through the Company’s website. This includes electronic copies of financial reports, audio webcasts of analyst presentations given at the time of the interim and annual results announcements, slides of presentations given at investor conferences, latest news, public announcements and general information about the Group’s businesses • through publication of interim and annual reports • through the annual general meeting as discussed below 106