The Financial Conduct Authority has published a Policy Statement on applying conduct rules in the Code of Conduct sourcebook to non-executive directors in the banking and insurance sectors. In-scope NEDs are those who do not hold Senior Management Functions and therefore are not subject to regulatory pre-approval under the Senior Managers & Certification Regime, the Prudential Regulation Authority's Senior Insurance Managers Regime, or the FCA's revised Approved Persons Regime.

The Policy Statement follows a Consultation in September 2016, which proposed that NEDs would be subject to the five FCA Individual Conduct rules on acting with integrity, acting with due skill, care and diligence, cooperating with the FCA and other regulators, having regard for customer interests and observing proper standards of market conduct. In addition, NEDs would be subject to the Senior Conduct rule requiring individuals to disclose any information of which the FCA or PRA would reasonably expect notice. The remaining Senior Conduct rules will not apply to a NED unless they are also a senior conduct rules staff member. The new rules will come into force on July 3, 2017.

View the Policy Statement.