Trustee Standards

National Occupational Standards (NOS) define good practice in the way people carry out tasks, based on the functions of their role.

What are National Occupational Standards (NOS)?

NOS for Trustees and Management Committee Members

How to use the Standards with trustees and management committees

The four units of the Standards

Help with using the Standards

What are National Occupational Standards (NOS)?

National Occupational Standards (NOS) 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. They focus on outcomes - what needs to be done, not how you should do it.

Standards are statements of competence, which describe the outcomes required for an individual to achieve good practice in particular areas of activity. NOS exist for many different occupations.

They are often used as a foundation on which National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) 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.

NOS for Trustees and Management Committee Members

The National Occupational Standards for Trustees and Management Committee Members (NOS) complement the Code of Good Governance. The Standards are aimed at individual trustees. While the Code is for boards as a whole, and the organisations they govern, the Trustee Standards are aimed at individual trustees.

Download a copy of the Trustee Standards

How to use the Standards with trustees and management committees

You can use the NOS 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 Standards will be useful for:

Trustees, whether they are new or experienced.
Staff and other organisations who support boards or provide services for them.
Trainers and consultants who work on governance issues.

The four units of the Standards

The National Occupational Standards for Trustees and Management Committee Members are comprised of comprise four units. Each unit contains a description of the trustee's role, a unit commentary and an outline of the criteria that a Trustee must meet in performing their role.

The four units are

Unit 1: Safeguard and promote the values and mission of the organisation.
Unit 2: Determine the strategy and structure of the organisation.
Unit 3: Ensure the organisation operates in an effective, responsible and accountable manner.
Unit 4: Ensure the effective functioning of the Board.

Help with using the Standards

A toolkit has been produced to help you use the trustee standards with your board, or as a trainer working with boards and trustees. You can buy a copy of the toolkit or download the toolkit for free here.

More on regional and local workshops and events on governance related themes

NOS for Trustees and Management Committee Members

The National Occupational Standards for Trustees and Management Committee Members (NOS) complement the Code of Good Governance.

The Standards are aimed at individual trustees.

While the Code is for boards as a whole, and the organisations they govern, the Trustee Standards are aimed at individual trustees.

Download a copy of the Trustee Standards

How to use the Standards with trustees and management committees

You can use the NOS 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 Standards will be useful for:

Trustees - either new or experienced
Staff and other organisations who support boards or provide services for them
Trainers and consultants who work on governance issues

The four units of the Standards

The four units are

Unit 1: Safeguard and promote the values and mission of the organisation
Unit 2: Determine the strategy and structure of the organisation
Unit 3: Ensure the organisation operates in an effective, responsible and accountable manner
Unit 4: Ensure the effective functioning of the Board