Governance is the structure an organisation uses to set goals, monitor performance, maintain viability and ensure compliance with legal requirements and ethical standards.
The main tasks of the governing body of an organisation (the board, committee, collective etc) are:
Ensuring the organisation meets its contractual, ethical and legal obligations
Ensuring resources are sufficient and well managed
Ensuring the organisation's objectives/mission are developed and sustained
Planning and monitoring organisational achievements in relation to these objectives/mission
Ensuring the ongoing viability of the organisation.
A good governing body should not:
Interfere with the day-to-day functional aspects of an organisation
Manage the administrative functions (some of these tasks might be done by committee members working as volunteers, this is not 'governing').
Good governance allows an organisation to:
Have a 'big picture' vision and appropriate strategies to realise that vision
Be accountable to its members
Achieve its stated objectives
Support its employees to pursue the full range of their job descriptions
The governance board/committee does this by:
Understanding the organisation's philosophy and objectives
Being organised, efficient and responsive
Understanding its responsibilities
Understanding the objectives, programmes and work of the organisation
Demonstrating inclusive and fair processes
Setting goals and priorities and monitoring progress on these
Ensuring the committee is diverse, relevant, skilled and representative of the organisation's membership
