Governance, Transparency & Compliance Award

Evaluation

100% automatic, from the data and evidence you submit

Minimum score to win

75 / 100

Measurement period

The full financial year 2025 (or the latest financial year completed before nominations open); growth is measured against financial year 2024

Who can apply

• A licensed financial institution, a listed financial-sector company or a public financial body
• A board of directors or trustees in place under the articles or founding law
• Operating for at least 2 years before the start of the measurement period

Indicators and weights

1. Board independence

   Share of directors who are independent under the regulator’s definition out of all board members at year end

   15%
   Show points and evidenceHide

   Points

   • 50 – < 100 % 100
   • 33 – < 50 % 80
   • 20 – < 33 % 50
   • 0 – < 20 % 20

   Evidence

   Annual governance report or published disclosure of board composition

2. Governance practices in place

   Number of the following eight practices in place: separate chair and CEO, audit committee chaired by an independent director, board risk committee, nomination and remuneration committee, annual board evaluation with an external one every three years, published governance report, independent and protected whistleblowing channel, published related-party transactions policy

   20%
   Show points and evidenceHide

   Points

   • 7.5 – < 8 items 100
   • 6 – < 7.5 items 80
   • 4 – < 6 items 50
   • 0 – < 4 items 20

   Evidence

   Governance report, committee charters and published policies

3. Speed of financial statements disclosure

   Days from financial year end to publication of the audited annual financial statements

   15%
   Show points and evidenceHide

   Points

   • ≥ 105 days 10
   • 75 – < 105 days 45
   • 45 – < 75 days 75
   • 0 – < 45 days 100

   Evidence

   Publication link on the entity’s or exchange’s website with its date

4. External auditor’s opinion

   Type of the external auditor’s opinion on the measurement-year financial statements

   10%
   Show points and evidenceHide

   Points

   • Unqualified opinion without an emphasis of matter100
   • Unqualified opinion with an emphasis of matter60
   • Qualified opinion10
   • Adverse opinion or disclaimer0

   Evidence

   External auditor’s report

5. Material regulatory penalties

   Number of financial penalties equivalent to USD 25,000 or more, and non-financial enforcement actions (suspension, restriction or public reprimand), imposed on the entity by any regulator during the year; small administrative fines such as late filing do not count

   15%
   Show points and evidenceHide

   Points

   • ≥ 4 count 0
   • 2 – < 4 count 30
   • 1 – < 2 count 60
   • 0 – < 1 count 100

   Evidence

   Statement signed by the head of compliance with the relevant financial statements note

6. Audit findings closed on time

   Share of high and medium internal, external and regulatory audit findings due in the year that were closed by the agreed date

   15%
   Show points and evidenceHide

   Points

   • 95 – < 100 % 100
   • 80 – < 95 % 80
   • 60 – < 80 % 50
   • 0 – < 60 % 20

   Evidence

   Findings tracking report submitted to the audit committee

7. Compliance training completion

   Share of employees who completed the mandatory annual AML, code of conduct and compliance training

   10%
   Show points and evidenceHide

   Points

   • 98 – < 100 % 100
   • 90 – < 98 % 80
   • 80 – < 90 % 50
   • 0 – < 80 % 20

   Evidence

   Learning management system report or compliance register

Each indicator gives 0 to 100 points; its share of the total is its weight. Ties are decided by the indicators listed first in the scorecard; payment or package never affects the score.

1. Done

   Nominations open

   26 October 2026 · 13:10

2. Upcoming

   Nominations close

   27 November 2026 · 01:10

3. Upcoming

   Judging starts

   27 November 2026 · 01:11

4. Upcoming

   Judging ends

   4 December 2026 · 13:00

5. Upcoming

   Results announced

   4 December 2026 · 13:10

Times are in Asia/Riyadh (UTC+03:00).