Board documents are the pillars of any organization, whether it is a charity, community or organisation. They provide the structure and governance of the organisation. These documents are essential to the accountability and direction of the organisation. They are not only important to ensure that the board is fulfilling its fiduciary obligations and provide transparency and accountability for those who are involved.
Having the appropriate documents on ready prior to a board meeting can be vital in facilitating discussions that are constructive and ensuring the board members are prepared for the meeting. This can only happen by ensuring that the information contained 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.
The most important documents of the board include annual reports, agendas financial reports, and board resolutions that outline. Based on the organization, they are either released to the public or kept private, but all provide information to the stakeholders of an organisation’s advancement and direction.
The board policies are another important document that is often overlooked. They establish the standards and guidelines of how a board operates. These could include a self-evaluation, board-staff relationships and volunteer policies as well as financial management practices.
The board documents that are included in an electronic board book, for example a BoardWorks portal, is increasingly being used by organisations and can reduce costs associated with printing binding, binding and mailing director’s documents on paper. Furthermore the platforms enable greater participation among directors during meetings as they can locate and access documents on the platform.