I would like to thank you for all your positive feedback on our new strategic priorities and in particular your recent experience of our network building, training and support services. Following our extensive strategy process, on behalf of the board of trustees, I am now pleased to share an update on some of the work we are undertaking in relation to governance at NCVO to underpin our ability to support the sector now and in the future.
We have begun the process for a wide-ranging, formal governance review at NCVO. This is in line with best practice guidance set out in the Charity Governance Code, as it is three years since the last review of our entire governance structure, and timely as we are able to ensure our governance structure supports our new strategic approach. Our hope for this review is to ensure NCVO’s decisions and governance are effective and centred on our strategic goals and for the benefit of members and the wider charity sector.
This review will fully assess and report on whether our governance structures, processes, relationships, and documentation are fit for purpose moving forwards. It will examine the roles, groups, and committees of the board. In parallel, the review will ensure equity and inclusion are at the heart of our governance as part of our culture change roadmap. The review will also look at how we ensure our new organisational values are central to the way decisions are made. It will engage members and wider staff, so we clearly understand the impact of our governance across the widest stakeholder landscape as possible.
To support this work, I’m pleased to announce the selection of Campbell Tickell as our independent consultancy partner following an extensive search. Campbell Tickell is a multi-disciplinary management consultancy focusing primarily on statutory and not-for-profit sectors and has worked with more than 900 organisations throughout the UK, Ireland and beyond, including a diverse range of charities and of membership bodies. Campbell Tickell has a particularly strong reputation for the breadth and depth of its governance work, and we are delighted the review will be led by two of the partners, Radojka Miljevic and James Tickell. The first steering group meeting for the review took place this week to confirm the scope of the project. I look forward to sharing our approach, progress and any learnings from this process through further updates to members.
Member involvement in the work of NCVO starts with the board of trustees, which includes member-elected trustees. We need members to identify outstanding individuals to join the board to help NCVO transform the way we work ensuring we make the biggest difference we can to members and wider society.
Good governance is a crucial ingredient to effective, impactful organisations, and that includes boards whose trustees have the broadest range of backgrounds and experiences. As part of our commitment to a culture of inclusion, NCVO wants to strengthen the board to better reflect the diversity of our society. We will do this by seeking to elect trustees who bring diverse backgrounds, perspectives, lived experience and skills.
This year we have two trustee board vacancies. Any member organisation of NCVO, in accordance with NCVO’s Articles of Association, can put forward one or more nominations to the trustee board. Nominations close on Monday 16 August 2021.
The NCVO trustee board will consider members’ resolutions for this year’s annual general meeting (AGM) at our next meeting on 10 September 2021. Please forward your proposed resolution to toks.talabi@ncvo.org.uk with the name of a seconder by Monday 16 August 2021.