How much company secretary education do you actually need?

How much company secretary education do you actually need? Is there a single benchmark, or does it depend more on what your end goal is?

Many people seeking training in the corporate governance space will automatically think there’s only one route. The reality is that modern governance explores different options, tailored to different circumstances. 

For example, someone seeking “chartered status” – a sought-after designation in the UK and Ireland which follows years of work – or a long-term senior career in a listed-company secretariat has different needs from a director, lawyer, accountant, compliance professional or administrator who needs practical company secretary (CoSec) capability now. 

Routine work can include:

• Compliance
• Statutory filings
• Board and committee administration
• Agendas and minutes.
• Governance advice
• Director support
• Risk and control awareness
• Stakeholder communication
• Maintenance of corporate records. 

How much each responsibility takes in practice varies sharply by company size, sector and jurisdiction.

In Ireland, every board must ensure that its company secretary “ensure that the person appointed as secretary has the skills or resources necessary to discharge his or her statutory and other duties.”

While the “skills and resources” is vague language, today’s demanding governance environment means that the term will inevitably include some form of training. 

Public limited companies face additional statutory conditions. In the UK, private companies generally do not have to appoint a secretary. In contrast, public companies do, and their directors must ensure that the secretary has the requisite knowledge and experience and meets an applicable statutory condition. Again, in modern times, the level of responsibility on company secretaries means “knowledge” will practically require training.

Being chartered means you have achieved the highest level possible professional designation from a company operating under a royal charter. As you might have guessed, it’s a term that originated in the UK. It also carries the most weight there, while also gaining some recognition in Ireland and Commonwealth countries. 

For company secretary training, the Chartered Governance Institute of the UK and Ireland (CGIUKI) offers a qualification geared towards chartered status. It’s a seven-subject programme that reaches Level 7 on the EQF and covers law, compliance, finance, governance, strategy, risk and boardroom dynamics. 

This kind of qualification is appropriate for you if:

• Chartered professional status is a central career goal.
• You intend to build a career in listed, regulated or complex international organisations.
• You want the breadth and postgraduate-level study commitment of the full programme.

One qualification that doesn’t go down the route of the chartered status is the Diploma in Company Secretary from The Corporate Governance Institute (TCGI). The Diploma is a Level 5, ten-module programme designed for practical company-secretarial and governance capability. It’s also designed for cross-border application, not restricting itself to individual markets – like the UK, Ireland, or any other EU country – on their own. 

It is the more appropriate route when being a Company Secretary is a part of your role rather than your entire professional identity, or when you want to enter the field before deciding on a longer pathway.

Across my work with governance professionals, I have seen that people often ask for the “highest” qualification before defining the work they will actually perform. A better question is: what knowledge, judgement and practical confidence will this role demand over the next two years?

Yes, of course. 

Education does not have to be an all-or-nothing decision. In fact, those who believe education stops at a certain point in one’s career are in for a rude awakening, because the reality is, it’s continuous till retirement. 

To that end, a focused diploma in something like company secretary can be a practical first step. Later study may become appropriate as responsibilities, employer expectations or career ambitions change.

Answering these will help you decide what kind of company secretary qualification you want:

• What job do I want next?
• Does the employer specify a qualification?
• Do statutory conditions apply to this company type?
• Do I want chartered status, or practical capability first?
• How much time and money can I responsibly commit?

View the DipCoSec/CCSP course, download the brochure, book a consultation or enrol online.

Legal and professional note: Always check the law and employer requirements relevant to the particular appointment.