For any type of organisation or a charity, board documents provide the structure and the governance of the organization. These documents are crucial for the accountability of the organization and provide guidance. They are not just necessary to ensure that the board fulfills its fiduciary duties as well as offer transparency and accountability to the stakeholders.
Having the appropriate documents on the ready before a board meeting can be essential in facilitating constructive discussion and making sure that everyone is well-prepared for the meeting. This is only possible by ensuring that the information in the documents is concise and clear, and when it is presented with a clear focus on the Three C’s – Clear, Concise and Complete.
Annual reports, agendas and financial reports are some of next page about what is a board report the most important documents that are produced by boards. Depending on the organisation, they may be made public or kept secret however, they all provide information to stakeholders about an organisation’s growth and direction.
Another important document that is often neglected are the board policies, which set out guidelines and standards on the way boards operate. This could be a self-evaluation process, relationships between staff and the board, volunteer policy, or financial management practices.
Organizations are increasingly utilizing electronic board books, like the BoardWorks portal. This can reduce costs by removing the need to print, bind or mail paper documents. These platforms also facilitate greater participation by directors at meetings, since they can quickly access and find documents on the platform.