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Governance Code
King V 2025
South Africa's definitive corporate governance code — apply-and-explain for all organisations.
13 principlesApply-or-explainAll SA organisationsJSE mandatory

The requirements

King V is the fifth edition of South Africa's King Report on Corporate Governance, updated in 2025. It applies on an apply-and-explain basis to all organisations, from start-ups to JSE-listed entities. It covers 13 governance principles across leadership, ethics, strategy, risk, remuneration, sustainability, and stakeholder relationships.

Leadership & Ethics
Board composition, director duties, ethical culture, conflict of interest, fit-and-proper assessments
Strategy & Value Creation
Strategic oversight, business model sustainability, integrated thinking, long-term value creation
Risk Governance
Risk appetite, three-lines-of-defence, combined assurance, material risk identification
Remuneration
Remuneration policy, implementation report, advisory vote, fair and responsible pay
Sustainability & Climate
ISSB-aligned disclosure, material sustainability matters, climate risk and opportunity reporting
Technology & AI
Digital transformation oversight, AI governance frameworks, cybersecurity accountability at board level

Mapped in Encircle

This framework contributes to the following governance domains in your Encircle score:

D01 StrategyD02 LeadershipD03 RiskD04 ComplianceD05 EthicsD06 EnvironmentD07 StakeholdersD08 TechnologyD09 AI & DataD10 PeopleD11 AssuranceD12 Remuneration
How Encircle maps this framework

Encircle maps all 13 King V principles to the 12 governance domains. Your wheel shows your King V alignment score in real time. Every apply-or-explain gap generates an assigned remediation task with specific guidance on how to close it. A King V Alignment Report is generated directly from your evidence for inclusion in your integrated report.

Your King V 2025 readiness score

Encircle tells you when you are King V Aligned — meaning your evidence demonstrates compliance with all 13 principles on an apply-or-explain basis. This is governance readiness, not a certification. You then engage a governance assurance provider or external auditor to provide independent confirmation.

Ready to track your King V 2025 readiness?

Request early access and get your King V 2025 score in your first session.

Early Access

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Early sign-on offer
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