Charity chairs and trustees are divided on whether making it easier to pay people doing their role would benefit the sector, according to new research.
The Association of Chairs (AoC) surveyed more than 600 charity board members on several issues and found that paying trustees was “uniquely divisive”.
Its results published today show that female and self-employed respondents were keener to see restrictions on trustee pay eased while male and retired board members were less positive.
Respondents from larger charities were also more keen to see trustee pay changes than those from smaller organisations.
Overall, respondents considered trustee remuneration a low priority but most respondents agreed it should be easier for charity board members to get paid time off from their employer.
There was widespread support among respondents for the creation of an overall strategy for improving trustee boards.
Trustees also agreed it was important to include diversity and inclusion in any charity governance strategy and that developing a learning culture for trustee boards should be a priority.
Earlier this year, the Charity Commission published revised guidance, emphasising the voluntary principle of trusteeship, and research with PBE which found that sector boards fail to represent the diversity of the wider population.
Boards development ‘woefully underdeveloped’
In response to its own findings, AoC pledged to develop, alongside organisations such as Board Racial Diversity UK, a plan to ensure that trustees are more representative of the UK population.
It said it would work with other organisations to build stronger support for personal and organisational development for trustees.
And it said it would speak to the commission on developing guidance on board behaviours and values.
AoC chair Joe Saxton said: “The development of charity boards is woefully underdeveloped.
“Everybody wants trustee boards to be better. They want them to be more effective. This is of course what the AoC sets out to do by supporting chairs and their boards, but we want to do more.
“The consultation results help us to identify further priorities for us to focus on, for our members, for the wider sector, and in collaboration with other organisations that support trustees and boards.”
AoC chief executive Liz Lowther said: “These results come from a wide range of respondents, from non-profits large and small, giving us a clear steer as to what those in the sector think is needed to make sure charity boards are as effective as possible.
“This is vital for shaping our work to promote and support good governance.”
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