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Governance
‘Governance’ is the general term used to describe the legal, managerial and moral responsibilities arising from trusteeship. The aim of governance is to ensure that the organisation is run effectively, efficiently, within the law and in accordance with the organisation’s strategy so as to realise its objects. All trustees have governance responsibilities.
A leading writer in the field has described it as:
"The systems and processes concerned with ensuring the overall direction, supervision and accountability of the organisation." (Chris Cornforth)
Beyond compliance with the law and regulation, governance can refer to more practical day to day issues such as the way trustees work with their chief executive, staff, members, service users and other stakeholders to deliver the organisation’s purposes. It is about taking responsibility for the running of an organisation and doing everything within the law to ensure its success. Thus, it involves a multi-disciplinary approach and that is why it is so important for trustees to have a clear understanding of what governance is.
A Code of Governance and National Occupational Standards for Trustees have been developed and detailed information can be found on the Governance Hub website.
