The Corporate Affairs Division focuses on policies related to the development and efficient functioning of the corporate sector in both the OECD member and non-member countries with particular emphasis on corporate governance, privatisation and state owned enterprise (SOE) reform, insolvency and financial disclosure.

Its main task has been to organise policy dialogue and exchange of experience among senior officials from OECD member countries, transition economies and emerging markets, and to disseminate the information and conclusions that result from this dialogue.

The OECD issued revised Principles of Corporate Governance in April 2004. Since they were first issued in 1999, the Principles have gained worldwide recognition as an international benchmark for good corporate governance. They are actively used by governments, regulators, investors, corporations and stakeholders in both OECD and non-OECD countries and have been adopted by the Financial Stability Forum as one of the Twelve Key Standards for Sound Financial Systems.