CIBC is donating $700,000 to help establish the CIBC Centre for Corporate Governance and Risk Management at Simon Fraser University’s new Segal Graduate School of Business in Burnaby, B.C.

A donation of $300,000 from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of B.C. brings total funding for the centre to $1 million.

“We are delighted to establish this major new research programme in an area of such importance to Canadian and international business. We very much appreciate the generosity of CIBC that has made this possible,” said SFU President Michael Stevenson, in a release.

Researchers at the new centre will pursue three research themes: the ethical and social dimensions of corporate governance; boards of directors and strategic planning; and corporate governance and risk management. They will identify emerging issues, assess existing and new practices, make recommendations and ensure that Canadian corporate governance and risk management practices are among the best in the world.

“CIBC is very proud to be supporting this initiative and would like to commend SFU for its leadership in establishing this centre in Canada. The work of this centre will build competence and trust which are critical to the success of the business sector,” said Ron Lalonde, senior executive vp, chief administrative and privacy officer, CIBC. “Support for the CIBC Centre for Corporate Governance and Risk Management at SFU reflects our commitment to governance best practices and our dedication to fostering an industry-wide model of corporate controls and accountability.”