General governance requirements
Article 21
1. Member States shall require all IORPs to have in place an effective system of governance which provides for sound and prudent management of their activities. That system shall include an adequate and transparent organisational structure with a clear allocation and appropriate segregation of responsibilities and an effective system for ensuring the transmission of information. The system of governance shall include consideration of environmental, social and governance factors related to investment assets in investment decisions, and shall be subject to regular internal review. 2. The system of governance referred to in paragraph 1 shall be proportionate to the size, nature, scale and complexity of the activities of the IORP. 3. Member States shall ensure that IORPs establish and apply written policies in relation to risk management, internal audit and, where relevant, actuarial and outsourced activities. Those written policies shall be subject to prior approval by the management or supervisory body of the IORP and shall be reviewed at least every three years and adapted in view of any significant change in the system or area concerned. 4. Member States shall ensure that IORPs have in place an effective internal control system. That system shall include administrative and accounting procedures, an internal control framework, and appropriate reporting arrangements at all levels of the IORP. 5. Member States shall ensure that IORPs take reasonable steps to ensure continuity and regularity in the performance of their activities, including the development of contingency plans. To that end, IORPs shall employ appropriate and proportionate systems, resources and procedures. 6. Member States shall require IORPs to have at least two persons who effectively run the IORP. Member States may allow that only one person effectively runs the IORP, on the basis of a reasoned assessment conducted by the competent authorities. That assessment shall take into account the role of social partners in the overall management of the IORP, as well as the size, nature, scale and complexity of the activities of the IORP.