For any type of organisation or a charity, the board documents define the structure and governance of the company. Without these documents, there would not be any guidance on how to behave and no accountability for the company. They are not just important to ensure that the board performs its fiduciary obligations but also to offer transparency and accountability to the stakeholders.
Having the right documents at hand before a board meeting is crucial to facilitate discussions that are constructive and ensuring the board members are prepared for the meeting. This is only possible if the information is presented in a clear, concise and complete way.
Some of the most important documents for board members include annual reports, agendas, financial reports and board resolution outlines. The organization’s requirements determine whether they may be made public or kept confidential but all provide details to stakeholders about an organisation’s growth and direction.
Another important document that is often overlooked are the board policies, that establish guidelines and standards for the way boards operate. These could include a self-evaluation policy or a board-staff relationship policy. policies for volunteers, or financial management practices.
Organizations are increasingly utilizing electronic board books, such as the BoardWorks portal. This will reduce costs by removing the requirement to print, bind and mail paper files. Furthermore these platforms permit better communication between directors during meetings as they can locate and access documents quickly from the platform.