Self-assessment
King IV Self-Assessment (Corporate Governance)
18 yes/no questions on the 16 King IV principles for organisations (a 17th applies to institutional investors): ethical leadership, strategy, the board, risk, technology, compliance, remuneration, assurance and stakeholders. King V now succeeds King IV for financial years starting on or after 1 January 2026, so use this to check your foundations. You get a score for each area and a list of gaps with what to do about each one.
1. Ethical leadership and corporate citizenship (principles 1 to 3)
King IV is a voluntary code of principles and practices, applied on an 'apply and explain' basis. It is mandatory in practice for JSE-listed companies through the Listings Requirements, and widely used by other organisations. King V was published on 31 October 2025 and refines King IV; it applies to financial years starting on or after 1 January 2026. Check which code your investors, regulators or sector expect.
1. Do the board and executives set an example of integrity, competence, responsibility and fairness, and is it shown in how decisions are made?
(King IV principle 1)
2. Does the board oversee ethics, with a code of conduct that staff know about and a way to report breaches?
(King IV principle 2)
3. Does the organisation act as a responsible corporate citizen, with a view of its impact on the economy, society and the environment?
(King IV principle 3)
2. Strategy, performance and reporting (principles 4 and 5)
1. Does the board approve the strategy, business model and key policies, and check that they are consistent with a sustainable business?
(King IV principle 4)
2. Do you report to stakeholders on performance, and is the report balanced, understandable and fair?
(King IV principle 5)
3. The board: role, composition, committees and evaluation (principles 6 to 9)
1. Does the board have a charter that sets out its role, responsibilities and the matters reserved for it?
(King IV principle 6)
2. Does the board have the right mix of skills, experience, independence and diversity, and is the chair independent of management?
(King IV principle 7)
3. Does the board delegate work to committees (for example audit, risk, remuneration, social and ethics), each with terms of reference and without handing over accountability?
(King IV principle 8)
4. Does the board evaluate its own performance, its committees and its members regularly, and act on the findings?
(King IV principle 9)
4. Management, risk, technology and compliance (principles 10 to 13)
1. Does the board appoint the CEO, set out management's delegated authority and appoint a company secretary who gives it independent guidance?
(King IV principle 10)
2. Does the board govern risk, set the risk appetite and review the key risks and how they are managed?
(King IV principle 11)
3. Does the board govern technology and information, including cyber security and data protection, as part of risk and strategy?
(King IV principle 12)
4. Does the board govern compliance with laws, codes and standards, with a register of the laws that apply to you?
(King IV principle 13)
5. Remuneration, assurance and stakeholders (principles 14 to 16)
1. Does the board approve a remuneration policy that is fair, responsible and transparent, and disclose how it applies?
(King IV principle 14)
2. Does the board get assurance (internal audit, external audit, other providers) that its controls and reports can be relied on?
(King IV principle 15)
3. Does the board take an inclusive approach to stakeholders, and balance their needs and expectations in the interest of the organisation?
(King IV principle 16)
4. Do you explain in your report how you applied each principle, or why you did not (apply and explain)?
(King IV, application)
5. Have you looked at what King V changes for your organisation and planned the move for the first financial year that starts on or after 1 January 2026?
(King V)
Sources
Turn these gaps into tracked tasks
Assign owners and due dates, keep the evidence, and show your progress to clients and auditors.