Who are ICSA?
The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) was founded in 1891, and incorporated by Royal Charter in 1902. It was created to develop the profession of company secretary and create high standards within it. It has since grown as the company secretary’s role has become established in law, and the secretary his or herself has become a valued participant in corporate decision-making and governance.
ICSA is now the leading professional body for company secretaries and senior administrators across all sectors, including educational institutions, charities, hospitals, trade and professional associations, and local authorities. It has 44,000 members and 27,000 students in over 70 countries. Chartered secretaries are high-ranking professionals who are trained to uphold the highest standards of corporate governance, effective operations, compliance and administration. They are the primary source of advice on the conduct of business, spanning everything from legal advice on conflicts of interest, through accounting advice, to the development of strategy, and corporate planning. They are employed as directors, executives, and managers as well as company secretaries.
ICSA's headquarters are in the UK, with separate branches in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
16 Park Crescent
London
United Kingdom
W1B 1AH
Tel. +44 (0) 20 7580 4741
certdipbp@icsa.co.uk
www.icsa.org.uk
What is a company secretary?
Every company in the UK is required by law to have a company secretary. The company secretary is the company’s named representative on legal documents. Company secretaries have a wide range of responsibilities, some of which are defined by law. These include: maintaining company records, sending annual returns to the Company Register or the Stock Exchange, keeping records of the company’s property, ensuring that the company and its directors operate within the law, acting as a link between shareholders and directors, and organising board and general meetings. Beside their legal responsibilities, company secretaries may have other administrative duties, too.
