A Company secretary is a senior position in the corporate governance of organizations, playing a
crucial role in ensuring adherence to statutory and regulatory requirements. This position is
integral to the efficient functioning of corporations, particularly in common law jurisdictions.
The Company Secretary serves as a guardian of compliance, a facilitator of communication between
the board of directors and other stakeholders, and a custodian of corporate records.
Despite the name, the role is not clerical or secretarial. The company secretary
ensures that an organization complies with relevant legislation and regulations, and keeps board
members informed of their legal responsibilities.
In many countries, private
companies are required by law to appoint one person as a company secretary, and this person will
either be a senior board member or a member of the senior management team.
In
India, "The Institute of Company Secretaries of India" (ICSI) regulates the profession of
company secretaries. ICSI is a statutory professional body which has more than 65,000 associate
members.
Chartered Secretaries are employed as chairs, chief executives and
non-executive directors, as well as executives and company secretaries. Some chartered
secretaries are also known in their own companies as corporate secretarial executives/managers
or corporate secretarial director