How to run a board meeting
- The number of board meetings to be held annually can be set out in an organisation’s constitution, but should normally not be less than four.
- In times of crisis, it might be necessary to call more meetings but don’t overload board members and staff.
- In considering ways of working, (whether in meetings or transacting regular business),keep in mind the duty to keep records, accessibility, confidentiality, and data protection. A WhatsApp group or similar can provide a useful tool for board members to stay in touch, but consider whether it is an appropriate platform for robust decision making.
- There has been a steep rise in digital, fully virtual or hybrid meetings which can be convenient, cost-effective and may allow for wider recruitment of and better access for board members.
- Temporary measures that allowed for remote meetings around the Covid pandemic have since ended so companies should check their articles of association to see how they are able to conduct meetings. They may need to update their articles to permit virtual and hybrid formats.
- Charity Commission guidance states that if charities want to hold virtual and hybrid meetings, they should amend their governing document so that it explicitly says they can hold meetings that way.
- You should also consider creating a policy on how people can participate virtually and what to do in the event of technical issues.
- Everyone who attends a meeting in whatever way should be able to communicate with each other clearly and reliably.
- But also don’t under-estimate the advantages of meeting face to face and even if all board members cannot always attend all meetings personally, encourage attendance at the organisation’s activities and events.
- Papers for a meeting should always be circulated at least a week beforehand, in whatever format is preferred by the individual board member. The timings of meetings should also be debated from time to time to ensure that they remain convenient; suitable refreshment should be served, particularly if meetings take place early evening – but no alcohol!
- It is the responsibility of the chair to ensure that proper debate is had and decisions taken within a suggested timeframe of two to three hours maximum.
- Some board members may find it more difficult to concentrate during long online meetings, so consider including screen breaks.
- If you use break out rooms, consider carefully how those separate conversations should be recorded or reported back to the main meeting to ensure that a full record of the meeting is kept.
- If closed sessions are required by the board it is imperative that senior staff are informed in advance that these will take place and given the reason why and an appropriate precis of what was discussed afterwards.
The Charity Commission has issued updated guidance on meetings here Charity Commission Guidance
