Information

Trustees should receive information that helps them to discharge their duties. 

Information should be provided to trustees in advance of board meetings that will help them to fully prepare for and participate in a board meeting. 

Information provided to the board should help trustees focus on their governance role, rather than getting drawn into trivial or very specific matters.

Information provided to the board should also be sensitive to trustees’ existing knowledge of a subject, particularly if it is a technical or specialist matter. For example, jargon or acronyms should be avoided unless they have been fully explained. 

To make best use of time at meetings, trustees should be expected to have read papers in advance, to allow meeting time to focus on substantive discussions.