Good Governance Code and Trustee National Occupational Standards

Occupational standards for Trustees have long been discussed it the charity and voluntary sector but now they are a reality. In keeping with the desire of trustees to equip themselves with the skills to run an effective modern charity, the sector itself has developed: Good Governance – A Code for the Voluntary and Community Sector together with the complimentary Trustee and Management Committee National Occupational Standards.

Good governance - a code for the voluntary and community sector

The Code has been specially written to meet the needs of charity, voluntary and community sector organisations. It was produced by a group of leading voluntary sector organisations including the Charity Commission, and is endorsed by the Governance Hub. The Code clarifies the roles and responsibilities of trustees and provides guidance in ensuring effective decision-making and accountability. It is a set of principles for charities and voluntary organisations which ensure that the highest possible standards of governance are set for the voluntary and community sector:

1. Board leadership
2. The Board in control
3. The high performance Board
4. Board review and renewal
5. Board delegation
6. Board and trustee integrity
7. Board openness.

The main principles of the Code, and its detail, can be used to help trustees better understand their role, develop it, be confident they are doing a good job and help identify areas for further development. The Code is not mandatory but those organisations that comply with it can state this in their Annual Report and other relevant published material.

The full Code and supporting information can be seen here.

Trustee and management committee national occupational standards

The National Occupational Standards for Trustees and Management Committee Members (NOS) complement the Code of Governance. While the Code is for Boards as a whole and the organisations they govern, the NOS are aimed at individual trustees. The Standards for Trustees were approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in January 2006.

The NOS are broken down into 4 Units:

1. Safeguard and promote the values and mission of the voluntary or community organization - this unit is about the board of trustees setting out the voluntary or community organisation’s long-term direction, upholding its values and delivery of its aims, and your role as a trustee in carrying out this function.

2. Determine the strategy and structure of the voluntary or community organization - this unit is about present and future strategic planning. It covers decisions about how the voluntary or community organisation’s values and mission are expressed in aims and activities, and in the structures and processes needed to implement them.

3. Ensure the voluntary or community organisation operates in an effective, responsible and accountable manner - this unit is about trustees working collectively to ensure their voluntary or community organisation is well-managed, is meeting its aims and needs, and achieving good practice whilst complying with the law. It covers the trustee’s role in leading the organisation, and also in ensuring the organisation is managed properly and by the best people available.

4. Ensure the effective functioning of the voluntary or community organisation’s board of trustees - this unit is about helping the voluntary and community organisation’s board of trustees to work as a team and reach fair decisions in the best interests of the organisation. This requires a range of people whose skills and abilities will ensure that the voluntary or community organisation’s board of trustees functions effectively.

National Occupational Standards define good practice in the way people carry out tasks, based on the functions of their role. They can be regarded as quality standards for people that focus on outcomes – what needs to be done, not how you should do it.

NOS can be used for trustees to:

  • Prepare role descriptions
  • Plan recruitment of new trustees
  • Plan induction for new trustees
  • Design training for trustees
  • Identify board or trustee learning needs
  • Review trustees' performance
  • Demonstrate the standards your organisation meets.

The NOS will also be useful for staff and other organisations that support boards or provide services for them, and trainers and consultants that work on governance issues

National Occupational Standards exist for many different occupations and are often used as a foundation on which National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are developed. Although there are no plans at present to develop NVQs in Governance, the NOS for trustees can be used to plan, structure and review training and learning for trustees.

The Standards and supporting information can be seen here.