Governance Decision-Making Tool

Organisational structure

What is a board/steering group?

A board is an elected group of individuals responsible for ensuring that an organisation is being effectively and properly run, and that it is working in accordance with its overall aims. As well as simply a “board”, they are also variously known as “steering groups” or “steering committees”, “management committees”, and “boards of directors”. Members of the Board are generally known as “directors”. The board is usually focused on the overall governance and strategic direction of an organisation, rather than operational aspects of its day-to-day running. It is important that all board members fully understand their responsibilities. This can be achieved by having policies in place that set out these responsibilities, and by providing prospective members with an induction pack that clearly explains their role.