Welcome aboard
September 2009
Diana Garnham demonstrates why the induction of a new trustee is no less crucial than that of a new member of staff
Purposes of the induction
Trustee induction serves a number of purposes. The trustees are responsible for their charity’s assets and activities and have a legal duty to act prudently and within the boundaries set by their organisation’s governing document.
The Charity Commission states that charities ‘operate successfully if they offer a comprehensive induction programme during which key trustees are provided with the key information they need to run the charity’[1]. The Commission also makes the point that the induction is an introduction, the start of a learning process, and that it should be part of an ongoing training and support process. Trustees will need to have an awareness of the crucial ‘must’ information from the Charity Commission and other applicable regulators, but they also need an awareness of the ‘shoulds’ about being a trustee and where they can get more help if they want it.
An essential element of trustee induction is the sharing of information about the organisation and the environment in which it is operating. One of the Charity Commission’s key performance indicators on effective trustee boards has been whether trustees receive a copy of the governing document [2]. That must be considered essential but it is not, on its own, going to be sufficient information or support to enable any new trustee to participate fully in a board discussion and the governance of the organisation. The induction is a real opportunity to share essential information about the role of trustees in general and the basic structure of the organisation, but it should also provide the new trustee with an overview of the world in which they will operate, how the organisation uses its resources and give an overview of current activities with a sense of what will be coming up on the agenda in the next twelve months or so.
Timing
You will want to enable new trustees to make an early contribution to the board’s discussion so the earlier the better for the induction. It is important that each trustee is confident about the skills they bring and where they fit with the existing board to enable them to make a full
contribution to discussion and decision-making. I think that the best time to do an induction is after the first board meeting attended by the trustee but before the second meeting.
contribution to discussion and decision-making. I think that the best time to do an induction is after the first board meeting attended by the trustee but before the second meeting.
This enables the trustee to observe the board and identify any particular questions or information needs, and potentially raise very early issues they may have about how well they fit or their role on the board. I don’t like to do the induction immediately before or after a board meeting but to organise a more informal occasion at a different time. Finishing or starting with a sandwich is also a good idea if people have time. My usual initial induction session would last two to three hours and would be followed by an opportunity to visit the office and meet the staff team and any key members or stakeholders.
In the initial session I would aim to highlight essential issues and invite discussion and questions. I would also make it clear where further information can be found, who to contact for clarification or additional detail, and where relevant, any external independent sources of information.
Maintenance of information
This is quite a significant amount of paperwork and the sight of such a thick file is pretty intimidating. To provide hard copies for every trustee, and then to keep them up-to-date would be a test for staff and trustees and something of an environmental challenge.
We have made up four working files that we use during the induction itself and give trustees the option to have a paper copy, an electronic copy on a disk key or to place the files (with a short commentary) on a shared web space. There are a few who prefer to have ‘their own’ hard copy on the shelf, but the majority have opted for electronic format. Placing documents on a shared web space gives better version control and facilitates sending an email alert for any additions, updates or changes.
Team and relationship building
The way induction is delivered should give as much time to explore how the board functions and behaves, how individual trustees relate towards each other and to the chair, and how they work with staff and volunteers, as it does to the provision of information.
New trustees say they often feel excluded from the established ‘clique’ and welcome an opportunity to get to know fellow trustees outside the formal board discussion.
The induction can begin this process if experienced trustees are also involved and works towards building the board ‘team’. In some
circumstances I have organised inductions for a completely new board, so team building and getting to know each other has been very much part of the process for them all.
circumstances I have organised inductions for a completely new board, so team building and getting to know each other has been very much part of the process for them all.
Clearly there is simply not enough time in board meetings to do this. I would ideally always involve the chair, if not for the whole induction, then for the discussion about how the board operates and for a light lunch afterwards. It is crucial that the chair gets to know trustees and gauges how each individual will fit.
The board is the structure supporting the chief executive so the induction is a good place to have the conversation about the difference between ‘governance’ and ‘management’. At an early stage the induction should include an opportunity to meet the staff although perhaps not at the same time as the information sharing session. And no one, least of all a trustee, likes to be ‘talked at’ through this so the induction should be relatively informal and structured to encourage questions and discussion.
Who should do the induction?
Feedback from trustees I have worked with indicates they prefer to have induction delivered by the organisation itself. They have welcomed the commitment and involvement of the chief executive and chair, as new trustees have an opportunity to see how the two key post holders work together and assess this relationship. I do not favour the contracting out of the induction, at least not all of it.
While external providers (typically accountancy and legal firms) are more likely to be very clear about the generic legal duties and responsibilities of trustees, and they will understand the governing documents, they are unlikely to have a good feel for the way the particular board works and the values that drive it. These behavioural aspects are better described and discussed by those who are part of it.
I said at the beginning that trustee induction should be the start of a process of ongoing support. The next stage is then to review skills and training needs on an ongoing basis and respond to the need for continuous support and development.
[1] Charity Commission RSI Trustee Recruitment, Selection and Induction
[2] 61 per cent of charities provide new trustees with a copy of the governing document, but 70 per cent provided the charity's accounts, 69 per cent with copies of minutes of meetings
[3] Charity Commission CC3
[4] Charity Commission CC60
Author: Diana Garnham
Diana Garnham is chief executive of the Science Council, a membership organisation for learned societies and professional bodies in science which works to promote science and its applications for public benefit and to maintain common professional standards in scientific practice. Diana has served on a variety of government advisory groups and she is a trustee of several charities including the Spinal Research Trust and Sense about Science, and patron of the Cae Dai Trust, a mental health charity.
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