The Social and Ethics Committee (SEC) Trends Survey 2024, published by the SEC Forum of the Institute of Directors in South Africa NPC (IoDSA)’s SEC Forum in collaboration with The Ethics Institute, offers a compelling snapshot of how South African organisations are evolving their governance practices to meet both regulatory and societal expectations.
Now in its fifth year, the survey is based on responses from 139 SEC chairs and provides valuable insights into how SECs are adapting to the changing corporate governance landscape. Key focus areas include gender and ethnic diversity, professional expertise and the interaction between SECs and other board committees.
The 2024 edition also introduced new questions exploring SEC responsibilities, overlaps with other board committees and the growing role of SECs in environmental, social and governance (ESG) monitoring and reporting.
Methodology
The SEC Trends Survey, first introduced in 2020, aims to gather reliable insights from SEC chairs into the composition, functions and perceptions of SECs. In 2024, quantitative and qualitative data were anonymously collected between June and August via a structured online questionnaire. The sample was categorised by organisation size, sector and industry, and responses were analysed across four key areas: biographic characteristics, structural characteristics, oversight and reporting, and achievements, challenges and areas not effectively covered by SECs.
Key insights
Gender milestone achieved: For the first time, female representation (55%) on SECs surpassed male representation (45%), marking a significant step towards gender equity.  | Committee structure: Eighty-two percent of SECs operate as standalone committees, which is up from 80% in previous years, reflecting a stronger commitment to focused governance.  |
Ethnic representation: Black (African) professionals continued to dominate SEC membership at 46%, followed by white (37%), coloured (8%) and Indian (6%).  | Reduction in overlap between the SEC and other board committees: Perceived overlap with other board committees dropped from 84% in 2023 to 51% in 2024, which indicates improved role clarity.  |
Whistleblowing oversight
When asked whether whistleblowing reports are sent to both the SEC chair and the chief executive officer, 48% of SECs reported that they receive these as well as the CEO. Meanwhile, 21% indicated ‘No’ and 20% selected ‘Other’. Due to the limited information provided in these responses, it is unclear whether reports are directed to either the SEC chair, the CEO, or other board committees. The remaining respondents stated that they do not have a whistleblowing hotline at all, highlighting a potential gap in ethics governance.
Challenges identified
| Resource constraints: SECs cited limited budgets, staffing, and expertise as barriers to fulfilling their expanding mandates. |
| ESG complexity: Many committees struggled with integrating ESG and transformation goals into measurable, actionable strategies. |
| Stakeholder buy-in: Inconsistent support from leadership and stakeholders weakens SEC influence in some organisations. |
Recommendations
The 2024 survey highlights that SECs are becoming more strategic, inclusive and aligned with global governance trends. However, to fully realise their potential, they must evolve beyond compliance and embrace a proactive, risk-aware and impact-driven approach.
To remain effective and future-ready, SECs need to prioritise emerging risks such as AI ethics, climate change and biodiversity. They need to invest in training and capacity building to meet the growing demands of environmental, social and governance requirements, and strengthen their stakeholder engagement and transparency mechanisms.
Find out more
- The full report, 2024 Social and Ethics Committee (SEC) Trends Survey, is available at: https://www.tei.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEC_Trends_Survey_Report_2024.pdf
- Contact: Louisa Netshiombo | Project Manager: Thought Leadership | Louisan@iodsa.co.za
