Articles written By Better Boards

What is a board portal?

A board portal is a secure piece of software, utilised by an organisation’s boards of directors, advisory board, committees, subcommittees, board task forces and their respective members or directors, to manage the ‘business’ of the board. Board portals offer a range of features (depending on the vendor providing the portal service) that allow directors, executives, senior leadership teams, and others who report to the board to interact with or support the work of the board, to share information and efficiently collaborate with each other.

Boards and Financial Modelling

The buck stops with the Board of Directors! If things go wrong financially, whether you’re a voluntary or paid Director of a profit or not-for-profit legal entity, pleading financial ignorance is not an option. This session will look at financial modelling as a critical tool for Boards to gain financial insight into their organisations’ business model, strategic plan and financial sustainability in these uncertain times. In this session Daniel will:

Key Considerations for Successful Board Director Recruitment

As an expert in Charity sector executive recruitment Liska has extensive firsthand experience engaging with boards and the impact a board can have on the executive leadership team and the successful delivery of a strategic plan. Recruiting a new board director is one of the most important activities that a board can undertake. Get it right and the positive impact can be immediate. Get it wrong and the ripple effect can be ongoing.

Better Boards Conference 2020

How to run remote board meetings securely and effectively

Remote meetings present technological, social, legal and security challenges. But they also offer convenience, an opportunity to expand your board’s membership and a catalyst to evaluate the effectiveness of your meetings. Access to technology and digital literacy are vital to successful virtual meetings. Provide any skills training board members need to confidently participate in video or conference calls. Security is a particular concern with remote meetings, so review your company’s security protocols and make sure you understand any risks involved with the technology you use.

What is the difference between a non-profit organisation and a charity?

In Australia: Despite its liberal colloquial use, the term “charity” actually has a very specific meaning in Australian law. Only some types of organisations are recognised as charities. Charities are a type of non-profit organisation. Not all non-profit organisations are charities but all charities must be not for profit. In order to be legally recognised as a charity, an organisation must meet a strict set of requirements and be endorsed by both the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and the Australian Taxation Office.

Making Your Remote Board Meetings Effective

In times of turbulence and uncertainty it is critically important to keep your board functioning and meetings running as planned, so you can stay focused on guiding your organisation to the ‘next normal’. The obvious choice to keep board meetings running to go virtual, whether that is running the planned meetings by phone or video. However doing so can present a variety of challenges. In this webinar Raphael Goldsworthy will guide you through questions to consider, tips and other practical actions for running virtual/remote board meetings.

What Directors need to know about Cyber Security

Cyber Security is not just a fad, and if handled badly represents a real risk to organisations and indeed to the reputations of Directors. What is the role of the board and its sub committees in relation to security? In “What Boards need to know about Cyber Security and the Role of the CISO” Jo takes a unique look at cyber security and the broader security discipline that will highlight the need for:

Managing Conflict of Interest in the NFP Boardroom

A conflict of interest can become a grey area or quickly seed resentment and division if not approached correctly. It is critical for directors on NFP boards to be very clear and transparent in this area. So how do you recognise a conflict of interest, and how do you manage it? This session will look at how to maintain an ethical board through effective management of conflicts of interest. In this session Garry will:

Mental Models for NFP Directors: Beyond Directors' Duties

The past decade has seen boards, committees of management, councils or similar named groups of individuals move from the processes and behaviours of managers managing a service to the processes and behaviours of directors governing an organisation. To this end there has been much focus on duties that the law proscribes for directors or similar positions. While knowledge and understanding of director’s duties is critical they provide little in the way of guidance to an individual of what the work of a director involves or how to effectively go about the work of the director.