We know from our external five-year review of the awards, in 2020, that they remain a unique opportunity to celebrate the importance of good charity governance, and they are perceived as a valuable way to recognise the work of charity trustees and draw attention to important issues faced by charity boards.
yet, charity boards still struggle to develop policies or create environments where equity, diversity and inclusion thrive and to recruit the expertise, experience and talent they need to govern effectively.
However, we know that it is not enough to simply shine a spotlight on exemplary trusteeship. The Company has established itself as a significant grant-maker to support better charity governance across the UK. Working with our partners, we support efforts to increase participation of would-be trustees, to improve diversity and inclusivity on boards, and to enhance the capability of those already serving. While those serving are making a meaningful contribution, most charity boards are not reflective of the communities they serve, and more than 100,000 trustee vacancies go unfilled year on year.
Recognising these challenges, we continue Above: Tim Varney, Chair of EdUKaid, proudly shows to invest in and us his Charity Governance Awards trophy from 2021. support the Cause4 Trustee Leadership Programme and related seminars. placed. The estimated value of that Normally a five-week programme volunteer time is approximately £55 that ends in a charity-trustee million. Reach investigated whether matching event, the programme its open recruitment platform was successfully adapted to the impacting diversity on boards, constraints of the pandemic for and found that they were making online delivery this past year as progress closing gaps with ethnic, a two-day virtual seminar. Our age, and gender diversity. Public partners at New Philanthropy Health Pathways said, 'Volunteers Capital (NPC) also converted the found through Reach have charity and trustee training seminars technically, graphically, and socially we fund into virtual webinars transformed our organisation.' throughout 2021 as restrictions and caution about meeting continued. However, Reach also identified areas where it could do more to support its The Company has maintained its Equity, Diversity and Inclusion goals support of the Reach Volunteering with recruitment. Part of its solution TrusteeWorks recruitment to this was the Trustee Recruitment service. An estimated 8,970 people Cycle project – with partners at the registered on the platform as Association of Chairs, Small Charities volunteers or trustees in 2021. As Coalition and Getting on Board a result, a record-breaking 1,322 – to provide guidance, tools and trustees were appointed via Reach tips for more diverse and inclusive and another 2,637 volunteers were recruitment practices.
A charity’s service users are dependent on its trustees for the leadership required to keep the organisation capable, nimble and sustainable. This means having the right breadth of talent, lived experience and range of skills at the table. Being a trustee is hard work and challenging, but 93% of trustees say it is immensely fulfilling. And
ANNUAL REVIEW 2021
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