Better Governance?

The New Governance Code being adapted in the Republic asks the Community & Voluntary Organsiations subscribe to the set of 5 principles set out below.(source: www.governancecode.ie)

Principles of Good Governance

1. Providing leadership for our organisation by:

Agreeing our purpose, vision and values and ensuring that they remain relevant and valid.
Developing, resourcing, monitoring and evaluating a plan to make sure that our organisation achieves its stated purpose.
Managing, supporting and holding to account staff, volunteers and all who act on behalf of the organisation.

2. Exercising control over our organisation by:

Identifying and complying with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
Making sure that there are appropriate internal financial and management controls.
Identifying major risks for our organisation and deciding ways of managing the risks.

3 Being transparent and accountable by:

Identifying those who have a legitimate interest in the work of our organisation (stakeholders) and making sure that there is regular and effective communication with them about our organisation.
Responding to queries or views of stakeholders about the work of our organisation and its governance.
Encouraging and enabling the engagement of those who benefit from our organisation in the planning and decision-making of the organisation.

4 Working effectively by:

Ensuring that our governing body, individual board members, sub-committees, staff and volunteers, where applicable, understand their role, their legal duties and their delegated responsibility for decision-making.
Making sure that as a board we exercise our collective responsibility through board meetings that are efficient and effective.
Making sure that there are a suitable board development, recruitment and retirement processes in place.

5 Behaving with integrity by:

Adhering to high standards of honesty, fairness and independence
Understanding, declaring and managing conflicts of interest and conflicts of loyalties.
Safeguarding and promoting our organisation's reputation.