Corporate Governance in Costa Rica
This review of Corporate Governance in Costa Rica was prepared as part of Costa Rica’s
accession process for OECD membership. During the three-year period of the review,
the government made substantial progress in strengthening its institutional and legal
framework in line with the G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance and OECD Guidelines
on Corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). The report evaluates Costa
Rica’s corporate governance policies and practices for both listed and state-owned
companies. It finds that while Costa Rica’s capital market is quite small, its framework
for corporate governance of listed companies is largely consistent with the Principles.
Costa Rica has seen particular progress in issuing a new corporate governance code
and requirements related to ownership disclosure. For SOEs, which play a key role
in the Costa Rican economy, the Presidency has taken important steps to establish
a co-ordinating unit which has spearheaded numerous reforms. These reforms include
issuing a government ownership policy, more transparent and structured appointments
of SOE board members (while removing politicians from boards), and reporting on SOEs’
performance. To further strengthen SOE performance and accountability, the report
recommends additional steps to improve board practices, clarify performance objectives
and implement International Financial Reporting Standards.
Published on October 07, 2020Also available in: Spanish
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