Board Director - role and responsibilities

Taken from the Board Handbook and Co-ops UK resources

The Role of the Board

In general, the Board's role is:

• To set the values, ethics and culture of the organisation

• To set the strategy and direction

• To provide accountable leadership

• To oversee business performance

• To determine and direct the organisation’s risk

• To oversee the management team

• To ensure compliance with rules and statutory requirements

• To set policies and procedures and oversee their implementation

• To be accountable to members

• To vet new board members

The Committee is not there to:

• To become involved in day-to-day management

• To represent other roles ie personal business, job role, interest group etc. People are there to represent interests of the coop alone

The Role of a Board member

There is no formal job description for a Board member, but it includes:

• Providing your attention and commitment

• Challenging other board members and staff

• Being able to represent the membership – as a whole

• Having a basic standard of financial literacy

• Having good people skills – being part of a team

• Being able to listen, reflect and when required make difficult decisions

• Valuing different types and levels of commitment

• Being honest and open

• Showing accountability and transparency

• Accepting majority board decisions – even when disagreeing

• Bringing life experience and skills from outside

• Being patient and persistent

The Signalise Co-op Board welcomes people with all kinds of skills, experiences and backgrounds.

Board member responsibilities

Signalise Co-op will provide training on Board on legal responsibilities.

The legal responsibilities of a Board member are laid down in Society Law and Company Director Law also applies to Board members.

Society law on directors

• Obey the law

• Duty of good faith

• Duty to take care

Company duties – in Company Law

• Duty to act within powers

• To promote the success of company

• Duty to exercise independent judgment

• Duty to exhibit reasonable skill, care and intelligence

• Duty to avoid conflicts of interest

• Do not accept benefits from third parties

• Duty to declare interest in proposed transactions with company

If you want to become a Director of Signalise Co-op, please complete the Expression of Interest form.

Information taken from Co-op UK resources, our Board Handbook and Carbon Co-op's Committee Member Roles and Responsibilities.