In order to ensure that the organisation benefits from a variety of views from the best minds and informed decision-making, the recruitment of Board members is of vital importance.
Even for network or membership organisations, where they may not have a choice on who is on the Board, the members should develop clear terms of reference and a job description, which should include responsibilities for safeguarding (as this is a shared
responsibility) when recruiting Board members.
Board members should undergo a clear recruitment process that includes submitting an application form and a CV and attending an interview where safeguarding questions are asked.
A Board made up of different ages, gender, ethnicity and sexuality will provide deeper, more meaningful discussions and improve accountability. However, a Board where everyone thinks or looks the same will fall into the trap of complacency and denial
when safeguarding concerns arise.
PENNY WILSON: Let’s talk about trustee diversity. In 2020, 2/3 of our trustees are over 50, only 36% are women, and 8% of trustees are people of colour, which compares to 14% of the wider population. We need action now to diversify our charities’
Boards. And I’m going to give you eight top tips on where to start. So first of all, get your motivation straight. So, you shouldn’t be diversifying your Board because you want to look better, because you want to improve your credibility, you
should genuinely want to hear different voices on your Board. Number two, don’t just recruit for diversity. So this isn’t just about getting any old woman, any old person of colour, any old-younger person onto your Board.
This is about finding the right people who’ve got the skills, knowledge, and experience that are going to support your charity. Number three, remove all unnecessary barriers from the recruitment process. So, do you really need a degree? Do they need
previous governance experience?
Do you really require their presence at 2:00 PM every Tuesday in some inaccessible meeting location? Number four, get your ad right. So, you should be explaining to people what the role is, inspiring them to apply. Number five, do the legwork to advertise
where your potential trustees are going to see it. So, it’s up to you to get the advert in front of them, not the other way around. Number six, when it comes to shortlisting and interviewing, don’t recruit for fit. Fit is the enemy of good governance.
You should be recruiting for people that bring something different, not people that fit in and are just more of the same. Number seven, induct, induct, and induct some more.
If you want your new trustees to contribute as quickly as possible, they’re going to need support to get their feet under the table. And eight, and finally, just do it. Just get on with it. Don’t need to talk about it endlessly. We need to see action,
and see Getting on Board’s transform programme, for how we can help you.
Watch the video above, in which Penny Wilson of Getting on Boards highlights eight key points on how to recruit a diverse Board.
Activity 4.2
Based on your learning so far, note in your learning journal why a diverse Board is beneficial for keeping people safe in your organisation? Is there any learning your organisation can take from these 8 points?
You explored in the first two units of this course why diversity in leadership roles is important in relation to safeguarding and the same is true here when considering Board members. Diversity of membership is more likely to lead
to the questioning, rather than just accepting, of long-standing assumptions. Given the emphasis on the relation between safeguarding and power structures, a more diverse Board is more reflective of the real world and, therefore,
of how power may be experienced.
Hopefully breaking recruitment down into these steps will help you think though whether there is any aspect of recruitment for a diverse board that can be improved in your own organisation.
Want to find out more?
For more guidance on recruiting and diversity, follow the link below.
