Good Governance Matters - Online conference on Wednesday 30 October

Governance matters. For your charity to achieve its aims and thrive, success starts at the top.

Online booking is now closed.

Welcome to Good Governance Matters

Join DSC for our second year of Good Governance Matters.

For your charity to achieve its aims and thrive, success starts at the top. What a board of trustees does and how they do it can be the difference between a charity that thrives and one that doesn’t.

You will hear from a range of speakers through insightful sessions and join in on discussions on key areas affecting governance such as managing risk, building brilliant inclusive boards, evaluating performance and creating a positive culture for effective and engaged boards.

Whether you are a seasoned board member or new to being a trustee, CEO or senior management, this conference is designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools to drive positive change and elevate your organisation’s mission.

Who should attend?

This conference is critical for anyone involved in or affected by charity governance such as:

Trustees of any size of charity
CEOs, Company Secretaries, senior management and staff who deal with the board or governance matters
Finance Directors
Governance professionals and advisors
Donors and philanthropists

What’s included in the price?

Attendance to the online conference, keynote session, session talks
Access to all presentations and resources (sessions are not recorded)
Digital copy of It’s a Battle on the Board
Digital copy of The Charity Trustee’s Handbook

Agenda

Event Chair: William Butler, Chair of Trustees, DSC

09.20: Welcome

Join us for introductions and housekeeping rules.

09.30: Keynote – My experience as a chair

Hear first-hand from a charity chair, the challenges they’ve faced and overcome and how governance has changed in the sector over the years. Speaker: Ray Lock CBE, Chair of Trustees, Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation

10.00: Managing risk and facing challenges – Finding the balance

This session will explore the critical role trustees play in identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks and will look at the role boards play for success in hard times. In such times, it can be difficult to find the right balance so join as we discuss best practice to safeguard your charity’s mission.

Speaker: Caron Bradshaw OBE, Chief Executive, Charity Finance Group (CFG)

10.45: Break

11.00: Panel discussion – Building brilliant boards

Building a brilliant board that is diverse and inclusive is critical to the success of that board. In this session, we will hear from those with lived experienced of building a brilliant board, and what this takes including understanding the roles and responsibilities of a board and how to recruit and retain diverse board members.

Panellists: Kamran Mallick, CEO, Disability Rights UK; Malcolm John, Founder, Action for Trustee Racial Diversity UK; Kai Adams, Managing Partner, Green Park.

12.00: The making of a great board member: Skills and qualities for success

This session will examine the key attributes and responsibilities of an effective board member. Following on from our panel discussion, we will discuss the qualities that contribute to strong governance, including commitment, strategic thinking, and collaborative skills. We will also look at what you can do as a trustee to contribute to your charity’s mission and objectives. This session is particularly relevant to new trustees or anyone looking to become a trustee for the first time.

Speaker: Leesa Harwood, Associate Trainer, DSC.

12.45: Lunch

13.30: Findings from the Governance App and what this could mean for the sector

Created by DSC, The Governance App is a free and easy way for your board of trustees to review and improve its governance, together, using a carefully designed questionnaire. With over 4000 users and 1300 organisations, we have some interesting findings to share with you and look forward to discussing what this could mean for the sector.

Speakers: Ben Wittenberg, Director of Development and Delivery, DSC and José Blázquez, Marketing and Product Development Manager, DSC.

14.15: Evaluating board performance

This session will focus on the importance of evaluating board performance to ensure effective governance and continuous improvement. Attendees will gain insights into establishing an effective evaluation process that fosters accountability, transparency, and enhanced performance within their boards. Speaker: Jacqueline Williams, DSC Associate.

15.00: Break

15.15: Mastering board paperwork

Board reports are essential for effective decision-making, ensuring trustees have the information needed to govern responsibly. However, many reports are often too lengthy and complex, making this more difficult. This session will look at best practice for board reports and communications, focusing on the information that boards really need to know, giving you the tools to create clear and concise information that promotes transparency and accountability.

Speaker: Debra Allcock Tyler, CEO, DSC.

16.00: Closing remarks – Creating the culture for effective and engaged boards

This session will explore the essential elements needed to foster a culture of effective and engaged boards in the charity sector. We will discuss creating an open feedback culture, how to ensure meetings are productive and purposeful, the importance of maintaining clarity on the organisation’s vision and how to embed the charity’s values at board level, ensuring that these values are reflected in all strategic decisions and actions.

Speaker: Jack Buckler, Head of Governance, P3 Charity.

16.30: Conference ends

Speakers

Find out more about your speakers here.

Join the conversation

Use these hashtags to join the discussions in the lead-up to and at the event #DSCGovernance #GoodGovernancematters.

Ticket prices from Monday 9 September (early bird booking has closed)

Band A: £147

Band B: £157

Band C: £177

Free spaces available

This event is available free, as part of our funding programme from City Bridge Foundation, for small-income London-based charities. Find out more here.