We help create effective Boards through insightful Board Evaluation, and both individual and team development.

ER Consultants  supports Boards in building their performance through evaluation board effectiveness and running board development programmes.

Our board development services include:

• Board evaluation - fulfilling the requirements under the Combined code of Corporate Governance to evaluate individual director and board effectiveness
• Board development - creating effective Boards through defining clear roles, accountabilities and capabilities
• Director development - coaching and facilitating top executive teams to build strong leadership platforms for business growth and performance
  
• Executive team development - coaching and facilitating top executive teams to build strong leadership platforms for business growth and performance
• Independent Director (NED) Development - coaching and creating forums for cross learning and challenge
  

To download a PDF on how ER Consultants supports Board Evaluation and Development click here.

We evaluate and develop boards in the following areas:

Board Role:  more>
Board Process:  more>
Board Performance: more>

The Combined Code on Corporate Governance advocates that the Board should undertake a formal and rigorous annual evaluation of its performance, and of its committees and individual directors.  However, there are understandable concerns that board evaluation becomes a 'tick box' exercise to fulfill requirements, rather than a genuinely useful tool that supports the continuous improvement of the board's effectiveness.

We have developed an approach that is geared towards improvement and development, rather than just taking a snapshot of a board's performance.  This covers the formal board role and processes as well as its performance and effectiveness, at team and individual level.

Board Role:

Board role related to the deree of freedom the Board has in defining strategy, its more formal governance responsibilities, and in engaging with its stakeholders.  This includes:

• Overall governance framework regarding the Board and its committeess
• Clarity of matters reserved to the Board
• Board composition, regarding diversity, the balance of independents, and exerience
• Shared knowledge / understanding of the long-term strategy, overall business model, the issues, forces & risks that drive the organisation, stakeholder tensions, etc.

Board Process

Here we evaluate and develop how the business is managed through understanding how decisions are made and which decisions are being devolved.  This incorporates:

• Board committees
• Board review processes such as Agenda / Papers / Minute management
• The degree of shared understanding of how the organisation executes:  systems of internal control; business and financial audit; business financing; executive remumeration, and, succession

Board Performance
We assess and develop how the board involves all its Directors, the and quality of the relationships between the Executive Diretors, Non-Executive Directors, and the key stakeholders.

• Dealing with the right issues at the right time:  agenda management - the ability to raise the issues and get matters place on the agenda
• Dealing with the right issues in an effective manner:  the degree of cohesion and alignment of the Board; information management; decision making effectiveness, and, contribution to / commitment to / involvement in agreeing strategy, governance, performance, ethical conduct, remuneration and risk management
• Relationships with Executive Directors:  outside as well as within board meetings
• Relationships with our key stakeholders:  how the Board interacts with Governament, and, nationa and regional, financial institutions, business, researchers and consumers

Relevant articles:

• Creating the organisation with integrity - more >
• Evaluating Board Integrity - more >
• Movers and wakers: the sleepness nights of the finance directors - more >
• Accountability and good governance - more >
• Growing pains in the boardroom - more >
• The Tale of Enron - more >
• Board Evaluation & Development - more >

For more information, please contact:
mark.goodridge@erconsultants.co.uk
or phone +44 (0)1223 315944