Governance

top Overview

Governance skills have become increasingly critical for directors, trustees and managers.  Understanding the role and responsibilities of being a director, the value of a board, why they exist and how they should operate are essential for today’s companies.

In conjunction with EMA, this Short Course provides the necessary theory and practice and the skills to allow you to operate effectively in a boardroom and give you confidence
as a director.

It is run by two experienced directors who are also practitioners. Janine Smith, a previous CEO and executive director and now a non executive director and chair in a diverse range of companies; and Dr Brent Wheeler, a public policy specialist and now, a financial evaluation specialist and company director and chair in small and medium enterprises.

top Topics Covered

Governance – not management
  • Governance – a definition and why
  • Board purpose and function
  • Board Charter
  • Roles and responsibilities of Management and Board and Chair
Board Structure – What a well functioning Board should be
  • Make up of the Board
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Statement of Intent – Board Charter
  • Relating to owners and stakeholders
Board and Management’s Role – Exercise
  • Identifying 2 issues relevant to your company
Effective Board Practice – Making it work
  • Board meetings and board papers - Process and protocols
  • Board monitoring
  • Board work programme
  • Sub-committees and Terms of Reference
  • Board review
Strategy including case studies
  • The role of the Board in strategy
  • What a Board should be looking for and management should produce
Legal responsibilities and Director’s obligations
  • Director’s obligations
  • Director’s duties
  • Trustee’s duties.
Risk Management and the Board
  • Understanding risk
  • Identifying types of risk
  • The Board’s role in risk
  • The director’s role under risk
Company and Board Risk Audit – Exercise

The Board Stress Plan

Finance and the Board

  • Understanding financial accounting
  • Identifying key indicators to watch
  • Monitoring
  • The capital expenditure decision
  • Finance for Boards under stress
Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Business and society
  • Commercial elements of CSR
  • Indigenous peoples – Treaties and minorities
  • the Environment and branding.

top Who should attend

  • Directors who wish to up-skill their knowledge base
  • New directors and people expecting to become directors
  • Directors of small/medium enterprises; not for profit; or non government organisations
  • Trustees
  • Persons who report to Boards

top Outcomes

  • An appreciation of roles and characteristics of a successful Board
  • An understanding of the role of management in providing Boards with support infrastructure to enhance the quality of Board decisions
  • Greater confidence in preparing for business stress
  • The confidence and capability of performing as a successful Director of a company