Trustees’ Week 2025 Day 1 - Introduction to Good Governance
Welcome to Trustees’ Week 2025, an event that runs during the first week of November each year. It’s a great opportunity for the sector to come together, and to acknowledge the contribution of Trustees within the charity sector. So, let’s connect with one another, share experiences and develop skills through the range of events, training and guidance that is available throughout the week.
You can check out https://trusteesweek.org/ to learn more.
The theme for 2025 is ‘Celebrating the power of good governance’. At Geldards, we are all for celebrating good governance! We also recognise that there can be no good governance without our trustees. Specifically, the skillset, care, and dedication that they bring to their charities.
What are you planning?
Here are some suggestions:
- Refresh your knowledge with the Charity Commission’s “5-minute guides for trustees”. These are designed to help trustees carry out their roles as best they can. Topics include managing finances, delivering charitable purposes, making decisions, conflicts of interest, safeguarding, political campaigning and filing requirements.
- After reading the 5-minute guides, why not test your knowledge with the Charity Commission’s latest Charity Trustee Quiz. A bit of fun that will also highlight any areas you may need to read up on further.
- Reach out to another charity in your area to explore the possibility of sharing experiences and perspectives. Collaborative working at any level has emerged as a powerful tool for charities in these challenging times.
- Finally (but certainly not least!), take time to thank your current trustees for their tireless (and usually unpaid) work. Without our trustees, our wonderful culture of selfless volunteering would not be what it is today.
At Geldards, we are lucky to have so many wonderful clients from within the charity and third sector, and to play a small part in your vital work. We will be contributing to Trustees’ Week by bringing you our insights into what we see as some of the key governance components of a resilient charity.
What is good governance?
Charity governance refers to the systems, processes and practices that go into the effective management of a charity, both ethically and lawfully. It involves the responsibilities of the board of trustees in setting the strategic direction, overseeing the charity’s operations, and ensuring compliance with the vast legal and regulatory landscape that charities operate within.
This week we’ll consider what makes a great board of trustees. Good governance starts with effective trustee recruitment. The board should look to a wide range of experiences, backgrounds, and skillsets and consider how best to reach a diverse range of potential trustees.
Another key aspect of good charity governance is the appropriate management of charity assets. This week we will look at the remuneration of trustees, and relevant Charity Commission guidance. Trusteeship is voluntary and volunteering itself is a long-standing principle that remains at the heart of the charity sector. However, there are circumstances where it is appropriate to pay a trustee. It is vital that trustees understand the legislation around this area and where Charity Commission consent is needed.
Good governance also requires charities to be accountable and adaptable. This involves being able to demonstrate that decisions are made in the best interests of the charity and its beneficiaries, with its mission and values at the forefront of the mind. Should conflicts of interest arise, these must be properly managed to reduce the risk of external factors influencing decisions.
Improving your charity’s governance is a continuous process and recognising this is key to building resilience. Good governance also varies from charity to charity, depending on its size, circumstances and structure. However, we hope that over the next few days we can help guide you in the right direction by highlighting a few areas that we consider are vital to good governance.