Insufficient financial expertise at the top
Governance |
19 Aug 2011
Tags: Finance for trustees
Robin Stephenson
Independent consultant, governance, corporate and legal affairs
Robin Stephenson is an independent governance, corporate and legal affairs consultant undertaking projects for a variety of organisations within the charitable and public sector.
In his role he writes articles for a variety of governance journals, and is actively involved as a member of the Nursing & Midwifery Council fitness to practice panels (having previously served on its governance committee), serving as the clerk to a dental professional review committee and vice chair and trustee of the Public Service Broadcasting Trust.
He has previously been a member of the European Foundation Centre European Union Committee, the Charity Law Association and has also served on the executive council of the Association of Charitable Foundations, been a non-executive director of an NHS Trust and served for ten years as vice chair of a state secondary school governing body.
He was previously director of corporate affairs ans secretary at the Health Foundation from 1998 - 2007.
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Expert advice
A charity still has the same financial director as it did as a small organisation and very little other financial expertise in its management, what can be done to prevent it becoming a sinking ship?
All charities should have rules as to what may and may not be discussed or disclosed, in order to properly protect confidential information and comply with the law. This applies to trustees as well as employees and other volunteers.
Whilst the vast majority of trustees are engaged, courteous, effective and contribute a great deal to the cause, all on an entirely voluntary basis, there are exceptions. The ‘ineffective trustee’ is one such example.
Whilst the vast majority of trustees are engaged, courteous, effective and contribute a great deal to the cause, all on an entirely voluntary basis, there are exceptions. The reticent trustee is one such example.
While more often considered from the perspective of an employee, what do you do if you believe you've uncovered some significant wrongdoing, perhaps involving other trustees or senior members of staff. Where do you go, who do you raise it with, what is the appropriate procedure for dealing with it?
While the vast majority of trustees are engaged, courteous, effective and contribute a great deal of their time and energy and expertise to the cause, all on an entirely voluntary basis, there are exceptions. The "self-important trustee" is one such example.
While the vast majority of trustees are engaged, courteous, effective and contribute a great deal of their time, energy and expertise to the cause, all on an entirely voluntary basis, there are exceptions. The "invisible trustee" is one such example.
The vast majority of trustees are engaged, courteous, effective and contribute a great deal of their time and energy and expertise to the cause; all on an entirely voluntary basis. But there are exceptions – one such example is the bullying trustee.
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