Charity Governance Summit

Keynote & Debate: Kids Company judgement: a game changer for trustees?

The Kids Company judgment had the potential to transform charity governance, but did it in reality? Many current governance practices were questioned as a consequence to the demise of the charity, but is the impact of the court case only limited to a small circle of governance professionals and legal experts? We debate the impact and outcome of the charity’s demise on the role of charity trustees and the whole sector.

• Fiona Young Priest, Charity Consultant

• Sir Stephen Bubb, Director, Charity Futures and the Oxford Institute of Charity

• Philip Kirkpatrick, Deputy managing partner, Charity & Social Enterprise Department, Bates Wells

Utilising s172 to Meet Principle 7 of the Charity Governance Code (Openness and accountability)

The Company Act 2006 was emphasised in 2019 with the need for directors to report on section 172. Charitable companies should report on how their decisions are driven by the views of all its stakeholders. In this session we discuss best practice on how governance professionals can ensure the essential requirements are being met and how to implement s.172 without lengthening the board agenda.

• Stephen Gilbert, Charity consultant

The next generation Charities SORP

The Charities SORP is currently undertaking a lengthy engagement exercise to inform the next iteration, due in 2024. Join our experts who will look at the issues presented in updating the SORP, to develop a charity accounting and reporting framework which meets the needs of the sector and wider public while staying step with other financial accounting and audit developments.

• Laura Anderson, Senior Manager Higher Risk Cases & Quality Assurance, OSCR

• Caron Bradshaw, CEO, Charity Finance Group (CFG) and member of the SORP committee

Reputational damages: restoring stakeholders trust

Reputation is a core governance matter for all organisations. For charities, reputational damage could dramatically impact on funding and stakeholders’ trust. How can charities reduce this risk, manage the crisis, and put a recovery process into place? We discuss the challenges met by one charity, consider the impacts of reputational damage, and, how this was dealt with at board level and throughout the organization.

• Jo Coleman, Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson

• Cosette Reczek, Chartered Governance Professional

Financial stress and the role of reserves

Recent events have exposed the issue of reserves, as whether charities have the ability or the need to accrue them. This represents a challenge for the long-term strategic planning and financial sustainability. We discuss the right level of spending and the risks associated and how governance professionals can support the board’s approach to manage the balance of addressing immediate needs and planning for the future in an unpredictable environment.

• Pesh Framjee, Global Head of Social Purpose and Non Profits, Crowe U.K. LLP

The role of governance in influencing funders

Obtaining funding is, for many charities, a perpetual effort. Likewise, trustees can struggle to get to grips with their governance arrangements. We assess how charitable foundations could include the Charity Governance Code in their grant criteria. We discuss how foundations could prompt and support charities in this journey and the benefits delivered to both parties.

• Gulnaz Raja, Founder & Director, Legal and Governance Hub and Board trustee director, Sports Leaders

• Max Rutherford, Head of Policy, Association of Charitable Foundations

• Alison Howe, Head of governance, risk and compliance, NSPCC

Power balance and allyship in the boardroom, living the values at board level

The charity governance code’s revised integrity principle, represents an important step change. Trustees must not only address power dynamics in the boardroom, but also in the charity’s purpose, practices and its people’s behaviour. ActionAid is committed to apply its ten feminist principles throughout its organisation, starting at board level. We will explore the role of boards in understanding power and the benefits from a coherent approach to organisational integrity.

• Srabani Sen OBE, Chair, ActionAid UK and CEO, Full Colour

• Alex Cole-Hamilton, Charity consultant and Board Trustee, Sophie Hayes Foundation

Balancing board oversight, a precarious task

The seven principles of the Charity Governance Code provides good guidance for all charities, including those with complex group and subsidiaries. The latter may encounter a disconnection between the legal and the practical side of the parent board’s oversight. How do you handle board oversight in complex organisations and how far should it go? We look at the Charity Commission for England and Wales’ guidance and discuss how can board practically work within the framework.

• Joss Saunders, General Counsel and Company Secretary, Oxfam

Climate change: every charity’s responsibility?

Climate change is the world’s crisis and one all organisations must address. What are the challenges for charities and their governance? How to start the discussion in the boardroom? What strategies could be implemented? In this session, our governance experts will trail new guidance for governance professionals to support their boards to implement strategies and identify a roadmap to tackle climate change.

• Maisy Hulbert, Policy Officer, ACEVO

• Louise Thompson FCG, Head of Policy (Not-For-Profit), at The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland.

Wellbeing and employees’ mental health across sectors

Employees’ wellbeing has become a predominant element of governance ever since the pandemic started. How in a sector where financial strain is greater, can boards ensure this is not an overlooked priority? What are the challenges met by every organisations? What is the place of the board in implementing appropriate strategies to tackle mental health and wellbeing? Discover what other sectors and organisations have been doing.

• Alison Gill, CEO, Bvalco Ltd

• Paul Farmer, CEO, Mind

• Susie Crowder, Director Human Capital, Grant Thornton Limited

How to nurture a diverse board and retain it?

Recruiting new trustees in the charity sector is harder than in the private or public sector. The societal changes are leading towards gender, ethnic and cognitive diversity. So, what does a qualitative board look like? How to harness a pipeline that addresses diversity and skills without duplicating? Join our professionals from diverse sectors to find solutions for your own board and take away top tips delivered by the Institute.

• Deborah Gilshan, Independent Advisor, Investment Stewardship & ESG, Founder, The 100% Club (London, UK)

• Gayle Gedala, Governance Director and Company Secretary, Amnesty International, International Secretariat.

• Justina Naik, Company Secretary, OSTC Ltd

The virtuous circle of good governance

Following the introduction of a virtuous circle of good governance last year, this session will look at the integral role the governance professional has in creating and embedding good governance in their charity. This session will identify some of the key actions, competencies and behaviours a governance professional can deploy to ensure good governance is a self-fulfilling cycle in their organisations.

• Louise Thomson FCG, Head of Policy (Not-For-Profit), at The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland.

New white  paper :

The virtuous circle of good charity governance: the role of the governance professional