Banks struggle with UK combined code

London -- Financial institutions are struggling to understand the UK’s new Combined code, which was authored by the Financial Reporting Council and published at the end of July 2003.

The new Combined code was formed on the basis of the recommendations of the report published in January 2003 by Derek Higgs. "The new Combined code is one of the most radical documents I’ve seen anywhere," said Bob Garratt, chairman of Board Performance, a London-based consulting firm. "The difference between it and what exists now is phenomenal."

Garratt made the comments in a speech at the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) conference on corporate governance in mid-December in London. The new