Vertrouwen op informatie bij bestuurlijke taakvervulling (IVOR nr. 83) 2011/5.4.1:5.4.1 Het vertrouwensbeginsel in de MBCA en de Principles

Vertrouwen op informatie bij bestuurlijke taakvervulling (IVOR nr. 83) 2011/5.4.1

5.4.1 Het vertrouwensbeginsel in de MBCA en de Principles

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In alle staten waarin de duty of care wettelijk is verankerd, is tevens bepaald dat directors onder omstandigheden mogen vertrouwen op informatie van anderen.1 Gerechtvaardigd vertrouwen kan aansprakelijkheid beperken door rechterlijke matiging van de schadevergoeding of het niet toekennen van punitive damages.2 Het vertrouwensverweer is echter vooral een factor bij de beoordeling of de business judgment rule van toepassing is en of de duty of care is vervuld. Hieronder staan de belangrijkste bepalingen uit de Principles en de MBCA over vertrouwen op informatie van anderen. In de Principles zijn dat § 4.02 over vertrouwen op directors, Okers, medewerkers, deskundigen en andere personen, en § 4.03 over vertrouwen op een bestuurscommissie:

§ 4.02. In performing his or her duties and functions, a director or officer who acts in good faith, and reasonably believes that reliance is warranted, is entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports, statements (including financial statements and other financial data), decisions, judgments, and performance (including decisions, judgments, and performance within the scope of § 4.01(b)) prepared, presented, made, or performed by:

(a)One or more directors, officers, or employees of the corporation, or of a business organization [§ 1.04] under joint control or common control [§ 1.08] with the corporation, who the director or officer reasonably believes merit confidence; or

(b)Legal counsel, public accountants, engineers, or other persons who the director or officer reasonably believes merit confidence.

§ 4.03. In performing his or her duties and functions, a director who acts in good faith, and reasonably believes that reliance is warranted, is entitled to rely on:

(a)The decisions, judgments, and performance (including decisions, judgments, and performance within the scope of§ 4.01(b)), of a duly authorized committee of the board upon which the director does not serve, with respect to matters delegated to that committee, provided that the director reasonably believes the committee merits confidence.

(b)Information, opinions, reports, and statements (including financial statements and other financial data), prepared or presented by a duly authorized committee of the board upon which the director does not serve, provided that the director reasonably believes the committee merits confidence.

In de MBCA zijn dat de onderdelen (d), (e) en (f) van § 8.30:

(d)In discharging board or committee duties a director who does not have knowledge that makes reliance unwarranted is entitled to rely on the performance by any of the persons specified in subsection (/)(1) or subsection (fl (3) to whom the board may have delegated, formally or informally by course of conduct, the authority or duty to perform one or more of the board's functions that are delegable under applicable law.

(e)In discharging board or committee duties a director who does not have knowledge that makes reliance unwarranted is entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, prepared or presented by any of the persons specified in subsection ij) A director is entitled to rely, in accordance with subsection (d) or (e), on:

(1)one or more Okers or employees of the corporation whom the director reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the functions performed or the information, opinions, reports or statements provided;•

(2)legal counsel, public accountants, or other persons retained by the corporation as to matters involving skins or expertise the director reasonably believes are matters (i) within the particular person 's professional or expert competence or (ii) as to which the particular person merits confidence; or

(3)a committee of the board of directors of which the director is not a member if the director reasonably believes the committee merits confidence.

In paragraaf 5.1 bespreek ik de vraag wanneer vertrouwen van bestuurders op informatie van anderen in concrete situaties objectief redelijk is. Eerst bespreek ik de juridische consequenties van het rechterlijke oordeel over de objectieve redelijkheid van vertrouwen door bestuurders.

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